Introductory Psychology: Spring ’02 ID #____________________

Dr. Young Exam #3: 4/30/02

Part I: Multiple Choice

Please choose the BEST answer for each question and write the letter in the blank next to the #. (2 pts each)

_____ 1. When a person damages an association area in the brain he may suffer an aphasia resulting in speech disturbances. Specifically, someone who has damaged __________ tends to have difficulty pronouncing the word he is trying to say. For example, he may say “tssair” when he is trying to say the word “chair”

A) Broca’s area

B) Wernicke’s area

C) the amygdala

D) the agnosia

_____ 2. You are walking across campus one day and you wave to one of your professors, but she does not wave back. However, you see her wave back to your friend. The next time you see the professor and wave, she still does not wave to you, but again she waves to another one of your friends. As a result of the professor’s behavior you make an internal attribution and conclude that she doesn’t like you! Which of the following concepts did you use to make this attribution?

A) Consensus and Consistency

B) Consensus and Distinctiveness

C) Consistency and Distinctiveness

D) Consensus, Consistency, and Distinctiveness

_____ 3. Which of the following statements about vision is correct?

A) Myopia is the scientific name for being nearsighted which results from having an eyeball that is too long

B) Presbyopia is the scientific name for having a misshaped lens which produces more than one focal point

C) Astigmatism is the scientific name for being farsighted which results from having an eyeball that is too short

D) Hyperopia is the scientific name for having a misshaped retina which prevents any focus from occurring

Part II: Fill in the Blank: Biological Psychology(brain & neurons)

(1 point each: This section has 20 questions, but it is only worth 15 points –

so you have a chance to get 5 extra points here!!!)

NOTE: You may need to use the same answer for more than one item!!!

_______________ 1. This structure of the brain is located at the top of the brain stem and acts as a “sensory

switchboard”, sending neural signals throughout the brain.

_______________2. This was the brain area that was most likely damaged in Leonard, the main character from

the movie “Memento”.

_______________3. This structure of the brain regulates brain activity during sleep and dreaming.

_______________ 4. This is the cortex that is located in the parietal lobe and, if damaged, impairs sensation in

the corresponding body part.

_______________5. This hemisphere of the brain typically dominates spatial relations and pattern recognition.

_______________6. If someone has a stroke in this hemisphere of the brain, his left side of the body would be

affected.

_______________7. This lobe of the brain is primarily responsible for higher cognitive abilities such as long

term planning and for the foundations of our personality and temperament.

_______________8. If this structure is stimulated, a person may feel particularly aggressive.

_______________9. If this brain structure is damaged, a person may feel particularly fearful.

_______________10. Occasionally during my lectures, I notice that some of you have trouble keeping your

eyes open!! Although I don’t know how anyone could be bored during my lectures, those

who have trouble staying alert clearly have a low level of activity in this structure during

my class.

_______________11. This is the oldest and the innermost layer of the brain. It is the least evolutionarily

evolved and it is involved in basic life functions such as heartbeat and breathing.

_______________12. The brain’s blood-testing lab, this structure is key in maintaining homeostasis.

_______________13. This bundle of fibers connects the two hemispheres of the brain and is responsible for

communication between them.

_______________14. This layer of fatty tissue on the axon of some neurons speeds up the action potential.

_______________15. A shortage of this neurotransmitter is believed to be the cause of Parkinson’s disease.

_______________16. LSD counteracts the effects of this neurotransmitter.

_______________17. This neurotransmitter is linked to Alzheimer’s disease.

_______________18. Schizophrenia has been related to having too much of this neurotransmitter.

_______________19. Every motor neuron possesses this neurotransmitter.

_______________20. Amphetamines stimulate the release of and prolong the effect of this neurotransmitter –

causing a person to be “wired”.

Part III: Definitions

Define each of the following terms (3 pts each)

Be Precise and Succinct!

1) Absolute Threshold

2) Self-Serving bias

3) Perception

Part IV: Short Answer

Answer 2 of the 3 questions on this page (10 pts each)

1) Compare and contrast the effects of Cobra Venom and Botulin Poisoning on the human body. Be sure to include the name of the neurotransmitter they affect and how they affect it.

2) Tell me what cognitive dissonance is, and then explain to me how justification of effort and post-decision dissonance relate to cognitive dissonance.

3) What is the fundamental attribution error and how does the actor-observer effect qualify it? Give me an example (one we discussed in class, or one you make up now) of both of these concepts.

Part IV: Short Answer (cont.)

Answer 1 of the 2 questions on this page (10 pts)

1) Can a person who is blind in one eye still see depth in the world? (Hint: the answer is YES!). Label and define two (2) of the perception cues that a person blind in one eye CAN use to see depth in the world AND label and define one (1) perception cue that a person blind in one eye CANNOT use to see depth in the world.

2) Social psychology argues that changes in the environment/situation can drastically change behavior. Asch demonstrated this fact quite clearly in his classic line study on conformity. After he ran his original study (in which he found surprisingly high levels of people conforming with blatantly wrong answers), he examined the effect of two specific situational features on conformity. Tell me what each of those features was and tell me what their effect was on conformity.

Part V: Experiment Details (20 pts)

Please tell me the details of Festinger’s BORING TASK study. Specifically, A) describe what the set-up and procedure involved in the study was, B) tell me the key results of the study, C) tell me how these results illustrate the concept of insufficient extrinsic justification.

A) (10 pts)

B) (5 pts)

C) (5 pts)

Part VI: Essay (20 pts)

Part 1: Explain to me what Kurt Lewin’s basic theoretical formulation of behavior was and then identify and define/describe his three main principles of social psychology. (5 pts)

Part 2: Choose one of these two studies: A) Sherif’s Robber Cave Camp Study or B) Milgram’s Shock study and then do the following: a) tell me what the set up and procedures of the study were, b) tell me what the key results were and c) tell me what the primary explanations for the results were. (15 pts)

Study you have chosen: ____________________

Extra Blank space if you need it

Extra Credit Questions (worth 1 point each).

Here are three general trivia questions (which I know the answer to and are designed to make you think I am very intelligent!) – can you answer them?

1) What is the name of the Baltimore Oriole’s pitcher whose career started in 1966 and ended in the 80s and who won 3 Cy Young awards? ____________________

2) Who is the author of the “Harry Potter” books? ____________________

3) What is the name of the Band whose album “Dark Side of the Moon” spent a record 591 consecutive weeks on the Billboard Top 200 albums from 1976 to 1988? __________________