Q&A Hero

Q: People with amygdala damage have trouble identifying fear expressions. How could we improve their ability to recognize fear? a. Give drugs that suppress serotonin synapses. b. Change where they focus their eyes. c. Test at a different time of day. d. Display the expressions in black and white photos.

Q: The amygdala send axons to the ____, which in turn sends axons to the pons to control the startle reflex. a. midbrain b. caudate nucleus c. cingulate gyrus d. pineal gland

Q: The ____ receives axons from the amygdala and sends axons to the pons to control the startle response. a. midbrain b. caudate nucleus c. cingulate gyrus d. pineal gland

Q: Output from the amygdala to the ____ modifies approach and avoidance responses. a. brain stem b. hypothalamus c. prefrontal cortex d. basolateral nuclei

Q: Approach and avoidance responses are modified by output from the amygdala to the: a. brain stem b. hypothalamus c. prefrontal cortex d. basolateral nuclei

Q: Damage to the amygdala impairs: a. motor coordination. b. circadian rhythms. c. learned fears. d. language comprehension.

Q: Many cells in the amygdala get input from sensory modalities, especially the ____ nuclei. a. basolateral and central b. lateral and medial c. hypothalamic d. brain stem

Q: What area of the brain seems to be a key area for learned fears? a. occipital cortex b. somatosensory cortex c. corpus callosum d. amygdala

Q: The startle response to a loud noise is increased in the presence of a stimulus that has been paired with: a. something fearful. b. something pleasant. c. something neutral. d. soft noises.

Q: In people suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder, the startle response is: a. generally absent. b. generally weaker than in other people. c. the same as in other people. d. generally stronger than in other people.

Q: Startle responses are greater when a person is: a. depressed. b. anxious. c. violent. d. aggressive.

Q: It is possible to predict (with moderate accuracy) people's political attitudes toward the use of the military, the death penalty, and so forth by monitoring which of the following? A differences in fMRI response between the left and right hemispheres B size of the hippocampus C amygdala responses to a sudden loud noise D fluctuations in testosterone levels between morning and evening

Q: Information reaches the pons within 3 to 8 ms after a ____, and the full startle reflex occurs in less than two-tenths of a second. a. loud noise. b. puff of air directed at your eye. c. bright light. d. pinch on the foot.

Q: To measure fear or anxiety in both humans and nonhumans, researchers measure variations in an individual's: a. rate of eyelid blinking. b. attention to a flickering light. c. salivary reflex. d. startle reflex.

Q: What is a common measure of fear or anxiety that is popular because it can be used with non-humans as well as humans? a. facial expressions b. spontaneous muscle twitches c. the startle response d. hyperventilation

Q: The common measure of fear or anxiety that is popular because it can be used with non-humans as well as humans is: a. facial expressions. b. the startle response. c. spontaneous muscle twitches. d. hyperventilation.

Q: After a loud noise, information travels from the medulla to the ____, and then to the neck muscles. a. pons b. caudate nucleus c. cochlear nucleus d. hypothalamus

Q: A startle reflex occurs in response to: a. grief. b. depression. c. anxiety. d. an unexpected loud noise.

Q: According to one hypothesis, if serotonin is released during aggressive behavior, then individuals with low serotonin release are more aggressive because of: a. increased depression. b. decreased serotonin synthesis. c. increased serotonin receptor sensitivity. d. decreased serotonin receptor sensitivity.

Q: If a treatment suddenly lowered your serotonin level: a. you would experience depression. b. you would become violent. c. you would become both depressed and violent. d. we could not predict how and when your behavior would change.

Q: A person with a history of violence would most likely react to a diet low in tryptophan by becoming: a. susceptible to a drug craving. b. angry. c. depressed. d. violent.

Q: A person with a history of depression would most likely react to a diet low in tryptophan by becoming: a. susceptible to a drug craving. b. angry. c. depressed. d. violent.

Q: Depression is linked to ____ serotonin and aggressive behavior is linked to ____ serotonin. a. low; low b. low; high c. high; low d. high; high

Q: People with less active forms of ____ are more likely than average to report frequent anger and aggression. a. monoamine oxidase b. dopamine c. serotonin d. tryptophan hydroxylase

Q: Wolffian ducts are found in: a. genetic female fetuses only. b. genetic male fetuses only. c. female and male fetuses early in development. d. female and male fetuses until shortly before birth.

Q: Mllerian ducts are found in: a. genetic female fetuses only. b. genetic male fetuses only. c. female and male fetuses early in development. d. female and male fetuses until shortly before birth.

Q: Which of the following is unique to genetic males early in development? a. Wolffian ducts b. primitive gonads c. Mllerian ducts d. Mllerian inhibiting hormone

Q: Sexual differentiation begins with: a. Wolffian ducts b. chromosomes c. Mllerian ducts d. Hormones

Q: One important difference between organizing effects and activating effects of hormones is that activating effects: a. are shorter-term. b. take place mostly during an early sensitive period. c. cause the pituitary gland to release another hormone. d. control only the peripheral nervous system.

Q: Which of the following depends on an organizing effect of hormones? a. whether an organism develops as male or female b. the degree of sexual activity at any time c. the timing of migration or hibernation d. current metabolic rate

Q: In comparison to activating effects, organizing effects of hormones take place: a. later in life and produce more long-lasting effects. b. later in life and produce more temporary effects. c. earlier in life and produce more long-lasting effects. d. earlier in life and produce more temporary effects.

Q: Which of the following is most likely an example of the organizing effects of sex hormones? a. increased heart rate during exercise b. determination of genetic sex c. masculinization of the brain d. nest building

Q: An organizing effect differs from an activating effect of a hormone in that an organizing effect: a. inhibits the effects of another hormone. b. lasts only briefly. c. activates excitatory receptors. d. produces more long-lasting effects.

Q: In general, when do hormones produce "organizing effects"? a. whenever the levels of some other hormone have decreased b. during early stages in development c. during adulthood d. temporarily at any time in life

Q: When do the organizing effects of sex hormones occur in rats? a. well before birth b. shortly before and after birth c. during their juvenile period d. at approximately two months of age

Q: When do the organizing effects of sex hormones occur in humans? a. well before birth b. shortly before and after birth c. during childhood d. during adolescence

Q: Genes on the ____ produce(s) sex differences in addition to those that we can trace to androgens and estrogens. a. Y chromosome b. X chromosome c. hormones d. X and Y chromosomes

Q: Some differences in males and females depend directly on control by the ____ independently of hormones. a. X chromosome b. Y chromosome c. X and Y chromosomes d. hormones

Q: All of the following hormones affect the brain and the genitals EXCEPT: a. testosterone. b. androgen. c. aromatase. d. estradiol.

Q: The hormone that prepares the uterus for pregnancy is: a. testosterone. b. androgen. c. progesterone. d. estradiol.

Q: ____ prepares the uterus for pregnancy. a. Testosterone b. Androgen c. Progesterone d. Estradiol

Q: Which is true of androgens and estrogens? a. Only males have androgens; only females have estrogens. b. Only males have estrogens; only females have androgens. c. Males and females have androgens and estrogens in similar amounts. d. Males and females both have androgens and estrogens, but in different amounts.

Q: Which hormone(s) is/are likely to be found more abundantly in males than in females? a. Peptide hormones b. Androgens c. Progesterone d. Estrogens

Q: Which hormone(s) is/are likely to be found more abundantly in females than in males? a. Peptide hormones b. Androgens c. Progesterone d. Estrogens

Q: "Female hormones" are referred to as: a. activating hormones. b. SRY. c. androgens. d. estrogens.

Q: "Male hormones" are referred to as: a. activating hormones. b. SRY. c. androgens. d. estrogens.

Q: Which of the following is true of androgens and estrogens? a. Only males have androgens. b. Both sexes have both types of hormones. c. They are produced by the pituitary. d. They have opposite effects in males and females.

Q: Steroid hormones produce their effects by: a. disrupting cell membranes. b. opening ion channels. c. increasing cholesterol levels. d. entering cells and affecting gene expression.

Q: Two major classes of sex hormones are: a. luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone. b. dopamine and serotonin. c. steroids and thyroid hormones. d. androgens and estrogens.

Q: Although harmful in excessive amounts, the synthesis of steroids depends on: a. heavy metals. b. cholesterol. c. ethanol. d. insulin.

Q: Brains of male homosexuals are completely identical to brains of female heterosexuals.

Q: The difference in the size of the INAH3 in homosexual and heterosexual men is mainly because of a difference in the number of neurons.

Q: There are obvious differences in external anatomy of homosexual humans compared to heterosexual humans.

Q: Androgen insensitivity syndrome leads to a genetic male with a female external appearance of the genitals.

Q: Girls with CAH are more likely to participate in "tomboyish" activities.

Q: In general, men are more jealous of sexual infidelity than women.

Q: Hormones produced by the ovaries are required for proper maternal behavior in rats.

Q: Birth-control pills prevent pregnancy by interfering with the usual feedback cycle between the ovaries and the pituitary.

Q: The changes in estrogen levels just before menstruation are the cause of PMS.

Q: High levels of estrogen and progesterone will prevent ovulation.

Q: Drugs that reduce testosterone levels in males will most likely reduce their sexual behavior.

Q: Testosterone levels continue to increase throughout a human male's lifetime.

Q: Stimulation of the medial preoptic area increases sexual activity in rodents.

Q: During the early sensitive period, immature mammals have a protein called alpha-fetoprotein, which is also present in adults.

Q: In humans, testosterone produces its organizing effects on the hypothalamus by itself.

Q: The sexually dimorphic nucleus is larger in females than males.

Q: Estradiol does not contribute to female development.

Q: Nature's "default setting" is to make every mammal a female in its external anatomy.

Q: Estrogen production by the ovary causes the male Wolffian system to degenerate in females.

Q: Activating effects can occur at any time in life when a hormone temporarily activates a particular response.

Q: Organizing effects of hormones usually occur early in development.

Q: Progesterone prepares the uterus for the implantation of a fertilized ovum and promotes the maintenance of pregnancy.

Q: Estrogens are present only in females.

Q: Hormones are capable of inducing long-lasting changes throughout the body.

Q: The sex hormones include the estrogens, progesterone, and the androgens.

Q: Describe some of the evidence that brain anatomy may differ as a function of sexual orientation.

Q: Describe some of the evidence that genetic factors may influence sexual orientation.

Q: Give some examples of evolutionary interpretations of mating behavior.

Q: Describe activating effects of sex hormones and give specific examples.

Q: Describe organizing effects of sex hormones and give specific examples.