Exam 3

Question 1

Which of the following statements accurately describes the difference between associative and nonassociative
learning?
A. Associative learning requires a conscious linking of two events together, whereas
nonassociative learning does not.
B. Associative learning requires both cognition and behavior, whereas nonassociative
learning requires only behavior.
C. Associative learning occurs with multiple stimuli, whereas nonassociative learning occurs
with only one stimulus.
D. Associative learning can generalize to other contexts, whereas nonassociative learning
cannot

Answer 1

Associative learning occurs with multiple stimuli, whereas nonassociative learning occurs
with only one stimulus

Question 2

The neurotransmitter that is most important for reinforcement learning is:
A. serotonin.
B. glutamate.
C. dopamine.
D. norepinephrine.

Answer 2

dopamine

Question 3

Primary reinforcers:
A. come first in second-order conditioning.
B. satisfy biological needs.
C. are the first behaviors to be rewarded in shaping.
D. represent symbolic value.

Answer 3

satisfy biological needs

Question 4

The best definition of learning is that learning:
A. results entirely from maturation rather than experience.
B. must result in adaptation of behavior, but does not have to be enduring.
C. always results in adaptations in behavior.
D. is relatively enduring and results from experience.

Answer 4

is relatively enduring and results from experience

Question 5

If the ventral stream of your visual cortex were not working temporarily, you would be unable to understand
________ an object is; but if your dorsal stream was still functioning, you could understand ________ an
object is.
A. where; what
B. what; where
C. where; why
D. what; why

Answer 5

what; where

Question 6

After being in a car crash, Yuri has the selective inability to recognize faces. He is most likely suffering from
________ due to damage to his ________.
A. agnosia; primary visual cortex
B. agnosia; fusiform gyrus
C. prosopagnosia; primary visual cortex
D. prosopagnosia; fusiform gyrus

Answer 6

prosopagnosia; fusiform gyrus

Question 7

The primary auditory cortex is located in which brain lobe?
A. frontal
B. temporal
C. occipital
D. parietal

Answer 7

temporal

Question 8

Positive reinforcement and negative reinforcement are similar in that both:
A. produce an increase in the probability of a behavior.
B. produce a decrease in the probability of a behavior.
C. involve the administration of a stimulus.
D. involve the removal of a stimulus.

Answer 8

produce an increase in the probability of a behavior

Question 9

The optic nerve is composed of axons of:
A. rods and cones.
B. bipolar cells.
C. ganglion cells.
D. foveal cells.

Answer 9

ganglion cells

Question 10

What term is used to describe a decrease in a behavioral response after repeated exposure to nonthreatening
stimuli?
A. habituation
B. sensitization
C. orienting
D. aplysia

Answer 10

habituation

Question 11

Olfactory receptors are embedded in the:
A. olfactory bulb.
B. olfactory epithelium.
C. basilar membrane.
D. papillae.

Answer 11

olfactory epithelium

Question 12

The optic nerve projects from the retina through a neural pathway that progresses to the ________ , which is
located in the ________ lobe.
A. lateral geniculate nucleus; occipital
B. lateral geniculate nucleus; parietal
C. primary visual cortex; parietal
D. primary visual cortex; occipital

Answer 12

primary visual cortex; occipital

Question 13

What is an unconditioned stimulus?
A. a learned response
B. a reflexive action to a biologically relevant situation
C. something that elicits a learned response
D. something that elicits an unlearned response

Answer 13

something that elicits an unlearned response

Question 14

Dr. Shaw has a patient with a phobia to spiders. The patient enjoys doing puzzles. Dr. Shaw exposes the
patient to spiders briefly while having the patient complete a fun puzzle. What technique is Dr. Shaw using?
A. fear conditioning
B. modeling
C. systematic desensitization
D. counterconditioning

Answer 14

counterconditioning

Question 15

The point at which the optic nerves meet and then split is termed the optic:
A. callosum.
B. chiasm.
C. commissure.
D. sulcus.

Answer 15

chiasm

Question 16

The process by which an individual needs increasing amounts of a drug to achieve the same psychological or
physical effects is known as:
A. addiction.
B. tolerance.
C. sensitization.
D. withdrawal.

Answer 16

tolerance

Question 17

The neural structure responsible for releasing dopamine in response to reinforcement is the:
A. nucleus accumbens.
B. insula.
C. raphe system.
D. orbitofrontal cortex.

Answer 17

nucleus accumbens

Question 18

Trichromatic theory is based upon:
A. the complementary functioning of three types of cones.
B. the oppositional functioning of two types of ganglion cell.
C. the complementary functioning of three types of ganglion cell.
D. the oppositional functioning of two types of cones.

Answer 18

the complementary functioning of three types of cones

Question 19

Pavlov was interested in how long salivation would occur once food no longer followed the metronome. What
is the name of this behavioral process he studied?
A. salivary reflexes
B. generalization
C. discrimination
D. extinction

Answer 19

extinction

Question 20

Jason is doing a psychology experiment in which he is seated in an absolutely dark room. An initially
undetected point of light in front of him is gradually made more intense. With each increase, he is asked if he
can see the light yet. In this experiment, Jason’s ________ is being measured.
A. difference threshold
B. absolute threshold
C. just noticeable difference
D. psychophysical limit

Answer 20

absolute threshold

Question 21

The first time you pick up your pet hamster it recoils in fear, but after a week of handling, your hamster is not
bothered anymore. What change came over your hamster through the simple act of repetitive handling?
A. operant conditioning
B. learned helplessness
C. sensitization

Answer 21

sensitization

Question 22

In Pavlov’s experiments, what was the conditioned response?
A. salivation to the food
B. salivation to the metronome
C. the food
D. the sound of the metronome

Answer 22

salivation to the metronome

Question 23

A(n) ________ is the minimum intensity of sensory stimulation required before the sensation is detected 50
percent of the time.
A. absolute threshold
B. minimum threshold
C. difference threshold
D. sensory adaptation

Answer 23

absolute threshold

Question 24

In research on signal detection theory, incorrectly “detecting” a stimulus that was not presented in a trial is
called a:
A. correct rejection.
B. false alarm.
C. response bias.
D. transduction.

Answer 24

false alarm

Question 25

When, after extensive extinction trials, the presentation of the conditioned stimulus briefly produces a conditioned response, this process is known as: A. classical conditioning. B. extinction reversal. C. second-order conditioning. D. spontaneous recovery

Answer 25

spontaneous recovery

Question 26

Temperature, pain, and pressure are components of the ________ sense. A. olfactory B. vestibular C. gustatory D. haptic

Answer 26

haptic

Question 27

The area where the optic nerve leaves the retina is referred to as the: A. optic chiasm. B. ganglion bundle. C. fovea. D. blind spot.

Answer 27

blind spot

Question 28

In smell, ________ are chemicals released by animals that cause physiological and behavioral effects on other members of the same species. A. odorants B. hormones C. pheromones D. epithelia

Answer 28

pheromones

Question 29

When one learns the consequences of an action by watching another person perform the action, this type of learning is called ________ learning. A. vicarious B. indifferent C. occupational D. amplitude

Answer 29

vicarious

Question 30

In what technique are successive approximations used? A. shaping B. taste aversion C. biological preparedness D. punishment

Answer 30

shaping

Question 31

Aida eats green vegetables throughout her pregnancy and while she is nursing her baby because she wants her baby to have a preference for these healthy foods. Aida knows that: A. culture influences taste preferences. B. babies’ taste buds adapt to tastes in utero. C. babies’ sense of taste is much more sensitive than adults’. D. babies’ sweet receptors can adapt to sense bitter vegetables as sweet.

Answer 31

culture influences taste preferences

Question 32

Daniel is standing on the outside platform of the train station. He is looking down the tracks hoping to see his train. As the tracks get farther from him the two sides of the tracks will appear to ________ , providing the depth cue of ________. A. remain parallel; linear perspective B. converge; linear perspective C. remain parallel; texture gradient D. converge; texture gradient

Answer 32

converge; linear perspective

Question 33

Thorndike’s rule that actions resulting in good outcomes will be repeated and bad outcomes will NOT be repeated is known as the: A. mass action rule. B. law of effect. C. tenet of behavioral reciprocity. D. operant theory of cognition.

Answer 33

law of effect

Question 34

For which of the following pairs would it be easiest to discern a difference in weight? A. a 2-liter bottle of water and a 2.1-liter bottle of water B. a 5-pound free weight and a 5.5-pound free weight C. a 20-pound child and a 22-pound child D. a 1-pound bag of sugar and a 2-pound bag of sugar

Answer 34

a 1-pound bag of sugar and a 2-pound bag of sugar

Question 35

________ states that the more intense the original stimulus, the greater the change in intensity required to produce a just noticeable difference. A. Matching law B. Weber’s law C. Signal detection theory D. Sensory adaptation

Answer 35

Weber’s law