SSS1353 Physiological Psychology Test April 2025

Which of the following best describes physiological psychology?

• Analysis of innate responses related to survival

• Examination of transcendental and metaphysical awareness

• Study of physiological mechanisms underlying psychological processes

• Investigation of socially reinforced behavioral patterns

What does a physiological explanation of behavior emphasize?

• Mental representations of early relational experiences

• Normative socio-cultural conditioning of behavior

• Biological substrates including neural and endocrine systems

• Cognitively driven motivational schemas for future planning

An ontogenic explanation of behavior focuses on:

• Heredity

• Development across the lifespan

• Brain lesions

• Emotional intelligence

Which biological explanation focuses on the adaptive purpose or advantage of a behavior within a species?

• Ontogenic – concerned with individual development over a lifespan

• Functional – identifies survival or reproductive value of behaviors

• Physiological – emphasizes mechanisms and structures in the brain

• Evolutionary – traces behavior through ancestral lineage

Which biological explanation best accounts for the persistence of reflexive traits, such as goosebumps, that no longer serve a clear survival function in humans?

• Physiological – focusing on present-day bodily mechanisms

• Ontogenic – considering individual developmental processes

• Evolutionary – tracing inherited traits with ancestral survival value

• Functional – examining the purpose of behavior in current context

The mind–brain problem asks:

• If we can control thoughts

• Whether behavior is biological or psychological

• How the mind relates to the brain

• If emotions come from the heart

Which is NOT a category of biological explanation?

• Philosophical

• Functional

• Evolutionary

• Ontogenic

What is the central theme in the genetics of behavior?

• Genes alone determine behavior

• Environment has no role

• Behavior depends on both genes and environment

• Genetics explains only physical traits

Why do some genes indirectly affect behavior?

• They influence hormone production

• They alter physical attractiveness which affects behavior

• They strengthen bones

• They block neurotransmitters

The term "nature vs nurture" refers to:

• Different types of evolution

• Brain vs mind

• Influence of heredity vs environment

• Human vs animal psychology