All AP Psychology Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #113 : Biology
Angie comes home after school and discovers that her front door is ajar and several windows on her house have been broken. Suddenly, her breathing and heart rate quicken. Her blood pressure increased and she has goose bumps and sweaty palms. Which of the following parts of Angie's nervous system is being activated?
Somatic nervous system
Central nervous system
Basic nervous system
Autonomic nervous system
Autonomic nervous system
The autonomic nervous system is made up of nerves that connect to the heart, blood vessels, smooth muscles, and glands. The autonomic nervous system controls automatic and involuntary physiological arousals that occur when people experience emotions. In this case, Angie is experiencing a lot of fear or other emotions due to the break in and her autonomic nervous system is hijacking her body, preparing her for a possible fight or flight situation.
Like the autonomic nervous system, the somatic nervous system is part of the peripheral nervous system; however, its function is for voluntary skeletal muscles and sensory receptors. The central nervous system consists of the brain and spinal cord, but doesn't include the peripheral nerves that made Angie react the way she did. The basic nervous system is not a real system.
Example Question #111 : Biology
Typically, research on cerebral specialization has supported which of the following findings?
The left and right hemispheres handle visual-spatial functions and language functions about equally
The right hemisphere of the brain handles most visual-spatial functions while the left brain handles language
If you lose functioning in one side of the brain, then the other side of the brain cannot compensate for the loss
The left hemisphere of the brain handles most visual-spatial functions while the right brain handles language
The right hemisphere of the brain handles most visual-spatial functions while the left brain handles language
Research has shown that different parts of the brain handle different tasks. Typically, the right hemisphere of the brain handles most visual-spatial functions while the left hemisphere handles language. Exceptions to this rule are when a person is born or develops some sort of brain abnormality or damage. In this case, the brain often adapts so that one hemisphere takes over the job of the other one.
Example Question #62 : Brain And Nervous System
Which of the following parts of the brain enables communication between the left and right hemispheres?
Corpus callosum
Frontal gyrus
Temporal lobe
Frontal lobe
Corpus callosum
The corpus callosum is a large band of fibers that relays signals between the two hemispheres of the brain.
Example Question #62 : Brain And Nervous System
Prescription painkillers typically have the greatest effect on which of the following neurotransmitters?
Endorphins
GABA
Dopamine
Serotonin
Glutamate
Endorphins
Endorphins—released during exercise, sex, and excitement—work in relieving pain symptoms. Analgesics, painkillers, are developed to have similar neurological reactions with longer-lasting effects.
Example Question #63 : Brain And Nervous System
Which of the following lobes of the brain plays an important role in processing visual information, but not processing auditory information or producing motor movements.
None of these
Frontal lobe
Parietal lobe
Temporal lobe
Occipital lobe
Occipital lobe
The occipital lobe is important for the sense of sight, and contains areas such as the primary visual cortex (i.e. V1). The temporal lobe is important for the sense of hearing. The parietal lobe is important for integrating sensory information of all types. Last, the frontal lobe is important for planning and decision-making.
Example Question #112 : Biology
Cynthia hears her mother scream downstairs. Immediately she feels agitation and fear. Which nervous symptom is responsible for this response?
Sympathetic nervous system
Somatic nervous system
Central nervous system
Parasympathetic nervous system
Sympathetic nervous system
The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for the "fight or flight" response, which is generally due to a rush of adrenaline that allows the body to respond maximally to a potential threat.
While interesting, the other answers are incorrect. The parasympathetic nervous system is incorrect because this is the system that counters the body's stress response produced by the sympathetic nervous system. The central nervous system is responsible for the nerves within the skeletal structure as well as motor movements. It consists of the brainstem and spinal cord. Last, the somatic nervous system controls voluntary muscle movements.
Example Question #65 : Brain And Nervous System
Which of the following is not a neurotransmitter?
Glutamate
Acetylcholine
Melanin
Norepinephrine
Melanin
Melanin is a pigment found in the skin and eyes, but also in the brain. It is not to be confused with melatonin, a hormone and neurotransmitter. Acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter associated with, among other things, the stimulation of muscle contractions. Norepinephrine is both a hormone and a neurotransmitter and helps return the body to homeostasis after the release of epinephrine (adrenaline). Last, glutamate is a neurotransmitter associated with nearly all (about 90%) synapse connections.
Example Question #121 : Biology
A patient who sustained damage to her hippocampus would afterwards most likely experience which of the following symptoms?
Difficulty in regulating emotions, especially aggression and fear
Difficulty associated with the recall of earlier long-term memories, but an increased ability to retain short-term memory and new long-term memories
No issues associated with the recall of short-term memories or earlier long-term memories, but the loss of the ability to store new long-term memories
Difficulty in recognizing faces
No issues associated with the recall of short-term memories or earlier long-term memories, but the loss of the ability to store new long-term memories
The hippocampus is a brain structure located in the limbic system, which is associated with memory and emotion. Arguably, its most important role is associated with the transfer of information from short-term to long-term memory. Patients with non-functional hippocampi have little to no trouble consulting their long-term memories made before damaging this region; however, they are unable to form new long-term memories.
Example Question #61 : Brain And Nervous System
Which of the following areas of the brain contains all efferent neurons as well as controls motor actions and speech production?
Frontal lobe
Parietal lobe
Temporal lobe
Occipital lobe
Cerebrum
Frontal lobe
The frontal lobe contains the motor strip and is responsible for speech production. The motor strip is composed of all sending, or efferent neurons. When activated, these neurons contract muscles throughout the body. Speech production occurs in Broca's area, located in the left frontal lobe. Speech is produced through muscle actions; therefore, it is also dependent on efferent neurons in the frontal lobe.
Example Question #123 : Biology
Which of the following areas of the brain contains all afferent neurons and possesses areas associated with math, body image, and spatial orientation?
Thalamus
Occipital lobe
Cerebrum
Frontal lobe
Parietal lobe
Parietal lobe
The parietal lobe contains the input strip and has association areas involved with the following: math, body image, and spatial orientation. The input strip is the opposite of the motor strip located in the frontal lobe. The input strip receives information from sensory neurons from all over the body. The association area for math is located in the left angular gyrus. Association areas for body image and spatial orientation give us awareness of our body in 3D space and enable us to envision 3D space.
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