PSYC101 / PSYC 101 Module 2 – General
Psychology (2026/2027 Latest Update) |
Verified Questions & Correct Answers |
Grade A | Portage Learning
2026
...
/ 2027 Academic Year
Q: Which part of the nervous system allows us to interact with the world? What are the two
subdivisions that allow us to sense things and act on the world?
Answer
Central Nervous System allows us to interact with the world. Two subdivisions that allow us
to sense things and act on the world include the sympathetic and the parasympathetic cord.
Q: Identify the primary structural parts of a neuron and the functions they serve as
described in the textbook and during lecture.
Answer
Information is received at the dendrites, is passed through the soma and along the axon,
and is transmitted to the dendrites of other cells at mean points called synapses, where
neurotransmitters are released from the terminal buttons. Glial cells provide various types
of support for neurons (like nourishment, insulation, waste removal) and may contribute to
signal transmission in the nervous system.
Q: Explain how charged particles (e.g., Na+ ions) are differentially distributed inside and
outside of the resting neuron.
Answer
Negative Resting Potential: When resting there is a relatively lower concentration of
positive ions inside the cell.
Q: What is a neurotransmitter? Generally speaking, how do neurotransmitters influence
the internal potential of a post-synaptic neuron? Use the lock-and-key analogy in your
description.
Answer
Neurotransmitter: a chemical released by neurons that bind to other neurons.
Neurotransmitter is the key, while the neuron is the lock. Neurotransmitters influence the
internal potential of a post-synaptic neuron by changing how ions flow across the
membrane.
Q: What is an action potential? Explain how it is initiated and results in the release of
neurotransmitters.
Answer
Action potential: a sudden shift in the neurons electrical charge (more positive) that travels
down the axon. The firing of an action potential allows the channels in the cell membrane
that opened to let in sodium close up. Time is needed until it can open again, until then the
neuron cannot fire.
Q: Provide a list of behaviors that are associated with each of the following
neurotransmitters: Serotonin, Norepinephrine, Dopamine, Acetylcholine, and Endorphins.
Answer
Serotonin: Sleep/wake, eating, aggression
Norepinephrine: mood, arousal
Dopamine: Voluntary movement, pleasurable emotion
Acetylcholine: Muscles, memory, attention
Endorphins: Pleasurable emotions, pain reduction (runner's high)
Q: Match the following disorders to the appropriate neurotransmitter(s): Depression,
Schizophrenia, Alzheimer's Disease, and Parkinson's Disease.
Answer
Depression: Norepinephrine
Schizophrenia: Dopamine
Alzheimer's Disease: Acetylcholine
Parkinson's Disease: Dopamine
Q: For the disorders listed above indicate whether the neurotransmitter level is too high or
low. Additionally, provide examples of drugs that influence the levels of the
neurotransmitters and indicate whether the drugs increase, decrease, or block
neurotransmitter activity.
Answer
Depression: Norepinephrine:Cocaine and Amphetamines increase
Schizophrenia: Dopamine: Antipsychotics increase, Cocaine and Amphetamines decrease
Alzheimer's Disease: Acetylcholine: Nicotine increases lunar (botox treatments)
Parkinson's Disease: Dopamine: Antipsychotics increase, Cocaine and Amphetamines
decrease
Q: Define the terms agonist and antagonist and provide examples of how they influence
neurotransmitter activity.
Answer
Agonist: Mimics (causes) actions of neurotransmitter.
Antagonist: Opposes (blocks) actions of neurotransmitter
Q: What is phrenology? Why is it considered a pseudoscience?
Answer
A now abandoned study of the shape of skull as indicative of the strengths of different
faculties. This pseudoscience is based on the false assumption that mental faculties are
located in brain "organs" on the surface of the brain and can be detected by visible
inspection of the skull.
Q: As you anticipate getting up in front of the class, you begin to feel butterflies in your
stomach and a pounding in your chest. Explain how the sympathetic and parasympathetic
divisions of the autonomic nervous system work together to influence how your body reacts
to this situation.
Answer
The autonomic nervous system controls involuntary bodily functions. It connects nerves to
the heart, blood vessels, glands, and smooth muscles. It is often referred to as the fight of
flight response. The autonomic nervous system can be broken down into the sympathetic
division, which mobilizes the body's resources in emergencies, and the parasympathetic,
which conserves the body's resources in emergencies. In the scenario above, the pounding
in your chest suggests your heart is responding to the sympathetic division of the
autonomic nervous system. Aparasympathetic response from your heart would slow your
heart rate-not speed it up. The butterflies in your stomach are most likely digestions
slowing down and blood being rerouted to other areas of your body. This is another
example of a sympathetic response. As you begin your speech and overcome your nerves,
you heart beat will slow down and the butterflies will dissipate. These are signs of the
parasympathetic division because the body is relaxing and therefore conserving its
resources.
Q: List the three major divisions of the brain and their principle subdivisions as described
in class.
What behaviors are associated with the subdivisions listed above?
Answer
a) Hindbrain:
medulla-> Breathing and circulation
Pons-> Sleep and arousals Cerebellum-> Coordinated movement and balance and fine
tonging brain activity
b) Midbrain: Arousal
Sound localized
c) Forebrain:
Limble systems-> emotion and memory
Thalamus-> relays incoming and outgoing information Hypothalamus-> Regulation of
basic needs (eating, temperature control) Cerebrum-> Complex thought
Q: There are four primary cortical lobes. What are they? Where are the located? What
primary function is associated with each?
Answer
Temporal-> Hearing Located below the lateral fissure
Occipital-> Vision Located at the back of the brain, behind the parietal lobe and temporal
lobe
Blindspot Parietal-> Integrates information (ex: visual/body)
Touch-Primary somatosensory cortex
Located behind the central sulcus.
Frontal-> Movement-primary cortez
Use information for planning/strategies
Concerned with reasoning, planning, parts of speech and movement (motor cortex),
emotions, and problem-solving
Located in front of the central sulcus.
Q: What is blindsight?
Answer
People who are blind demonstrate some response to visual stimuli.
Q: How is the body represented on the Primary Motor and Primary Somatosensory
cortices of the brain? Where are these segments of the brain located (i.e., which cortical
lobe)?
Answer
Arranged in an orderly manner, inverted. The toes are represented at the top of the cerebral
hemisphere, while the mouth is represented at the bottom of the hemisphere, closer to the
lateral sulcus. These representations lie along a fold in the cortex called the central sulcus.
The homunculus is split in half, with motor representation for each side of the body
represented on the opposite side of the brain.[2] Some body parts may be controlled by
partially overlapping regions of cortex.
Primary motor located in the Frontal Lobe.
Primary Somatosensory Cortex located in the Parietal Lobe.
Q: The two hemispheres are connected by the.....
Answer
Central sulcus.
Q: What are the two primary language areas in the brain that were discussed during class?
Where are they located?
Answer
Broca's Area-> Speech production/fluency
Wernickes Area-> Comprehension of language
Q: Damage to a language area produces an aphasia, or loss of an ability to understand or
express speech. Describe the behavior of someone suffering from each of the two primary
aphasias we discussed in class.
Answer
Broca's Aphasia: Slow effortful speech
Wernicke's Aphasia: "Word salad"/receptive
transmits information between the brain and the peripheral nervous system?
Answer
Spinal Nerves
Q: Describe the three methods used by researchers to investigate the effects of genetics
and experience on behavior.
Answer
Family Studies: Researchers assess hereditary influence by examining blood relatives to see
how much they resemble one another to a specific trait.
Twin Studies: Researchers assess hereditary influence by comparing the resemblance of
identical twins and fraternal twins with the respect to a trait
Adoption Studies: asses hereditary influence by examining the resemblance between
adopted children and both their biological and their adoptive parents
Q: What kind of nerves carry sensory and motor messages in and out of the column that
Q: Which of the following brain areas is responsible for movement, sense of self, and
higher mental functions?
Answer
Frontal Lobes
Q: Which of the following involves obtaining additional information to check perceptions?
Answer
Reality Testing
Q: Which theory of dreaming, popularized by Freud, emphasizes internal conflicts,
motives, and unconscious forces?
Answer
Psychodynamic dream theory
Q: The awareness of one's internal thoughts and external surroundings.
Answer
How is consciousness defined in the field of psychology?
Q: Psychophysics is the study of how the mind interprets the physical properties of
_______.
Answer
Stimuli
Q: People perceive objects or events that have no external reality in a/an _______.
Answer
Hallucination
Q: Which one of the following is the name for a type of cell in the nervous system that
transmits information?
Answer
Neuron
Answer
science builds on prior discoveries
Q: What is the structure in the hindbrain involved in controlling coordination and balance
called?
Answer
Cerebellum
Q: Which of the following refers to the parts of the nervous system outside of the brain
and spinal cord?
Answer
Peripheral Nervous System
Q: science is described as a cumulative process. This means that
Q: Personal experience is associated with __________whereas, scientific method is
associated with ________________.
Answer
opinion; fact
Q: miller is conducting research aimed at understanding how elderly people can best
thrive when residing in an assisted-living home. she has several logical ideas that can be
tested in her research. these ideas, which might be considered educated guesses, are called
hypotheses
An example of an operational definition of anxiety is a:
Answer
a score on an anxiety questionare
Taylor walked into the psychology lab and was welcomed by the researcher. The first
document given to him by the researcher described the research experiment and what it
was to entail, which also required his signature. What was this ethical document?
Answer
informed consent
What is one reason why scientific psychologists follow a specific set of guidelines to help
them make decisions when doing research?
Answer
to ensure they protect research participants from potential harm
_________ methods in psychological research are approaches to data-gathering that are
tied to actual measurement and observation
Answer
empirical
which of the following is an example of an empirical question that would be tested by using
systematic observation
Answer
do native English-speaking Canadians take longer to learn chinese or to learn Spanish
When we develop ________ (groups of closely related phenomena or observations) in
science, we must do so in a way that can be tested. Otherwise, there is no way to prove (or
disprove them)
Answer
theories
The definition of psychology is generally considered to be the
scientific study of behavior and mental processes
Dr. Morabian is conducting research that was inspired by studies published 10 years before
he got his doctorate. He reads those studies, thinks about how they can be improved, and
designs research that will extend their findings. Dr. Morabian's work demonstrates that
science is:
cumulative
The purpose of ethical guidelines in psychological research is to
protect the rights of human and animal subjects
Looking for the best ways to help people monitor and control their blood pressure through
behavioral changes would be the concern of psychologists within which subfield?
health
the hypothesis in a research study is defined as the
idea or prediction that can be tested
confidentiality requires that
access to collected data be limited to research staff
The main focus of clinical psychology is on which aspect of human behavior?
understanding and treating psychological disorders
Meditation does which of the following to the body? (choose all that apply)
* Changes plasticity of the brain
* Lowers cortisol levels
* Changes brain structures
Match the drug with the neurotransmitter it mimics:
* benzodiazepines: GABA
* cocaine: Dopamine
* LSD: Serotonin
Which age group sleeps the longest?
Infants
When your body suddenly has an unexpected change in level of drug tolerance, this is
called:
Reverse tolerance
While there are some substances that are classified as drugs in the US, there are also
culturally accepted uses of such substances, such as peyote and ayahuasca, due to their use
for ceremonial and healing purposes.
True
Match the drug with the appropriate classification:
* Alcohol: Depressant
+ Nicotine: Stimulant
* Heroin: Opioid
* LSD: Hallucinogen
Pavlov's study of classical conditioning using dogs showed that dogs could learn to salivate
in response to a(n):
Conditioned stimulus
When behaviors are organized into many small steps during operant conditioning, this is
referred to as:
Shaping
The pleasurable experience of enjoying a good meal with another person on a first date can
cause you to also associate positive feelings toward that person due to:
High-order conditioning
The pleasurable experience of enjoying a good meal with another person on a first date can
cause you to also associate positive feelings toward that person due to:
Reinforcement
Studies show that violent video games can have prosocial effects
False
Which of the following are examples of learning? (choose all that apply)
* Operant conditioning
* Classical conditioning
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