1
PSYC 101 General Psychology ACTUAL EXAM
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2026/2027 | Final
Cumulative Exam 8 | Portage Learning | Pass
Guaranteed - A+ Graded
DOMAIN 1: BIOLOGICAL BASES & SENSATION/PERCEPTION (15 Questions)
Q1: After a car accident, a patient has difficulty understanding spoken language, though their
hearing is physically fine. They can speak fluently, but their sentences are nonsensical and they
cannot repeat phrases. This suggests damage to which area of the brain?
A. Broca's area
B. Wernicke's area [CORRECT]
C. The occipital lobe
D. The cerebellum
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Wernicke's area (in the left temporal lobe) is associated with language
comprehension. Damage results in Wernicke's aphasia: fluent but meaningless speech, poor
comprehension, and impaired repetition. Broca's area (A) damage leads to non-fluent, effortful
speech with relatively intact comprehension. The occipital lobe (C) processes vision. The
cerebellum (D) coordinates movement and balance.
Q2: [Select All That Apply] Which neurotransmitters are correctly matched with their primary
functions or associated disorders?
A. Dopamine – motor control, reward, implicated in Parkinson's disease and schizophrenia
[CORRECT]
B. Serotonin – mood regulation, sleep, appetite; SSRIs increase its availability [CORRECT]
C. Acetylcholine – muscle contraction at neuromuscular junctions, memory formation
[CORRECT]
,2
D. GABA – excitatory neurotransmitter that increases neural firing
Correct Answers: A, B, C
Rationale: A, B, and C are correct matches. D is incorrect: GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid)
is the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain, reducing neural excitability. Drugs that
enhance GABA (like benzodiazepines) produce calming effects. Excitatory neurotransmitters
include glutamate. Understanding neurotransmitter functions is crucial for comprehending both
normal brain function and psychopharmacology.
Q3: A researcher stimulates the lateral hypothalamus of a rat, causing the rat to immediately
begin eating even if it has just consumed a large meal. This demonstrates that the lateral
hypothalamus serves as a(n):
A. Satiety center
B. Hunger center [CORRECT]
C. Thirst center only
D. Temperature regulation center
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The lateral hypothalamus acts as a hunger center—when stimulated, it triggers
eating behavior; when destroyed, it causes aphagia (refusal to eat). The ventromedial
hypothalamus (A) serves as the satiety center—stimulation causes cessation of eating,
destruction causes hyperphagia and obesity. The hypothalamus regulates multiple motivated
behaviors including hunger, thirst, temperature, and sexual behavior.
Q4: During stage 3 of non-REM sleep, which brain wave pattern is dominant?
A. Beta waves (alert, awake)
B. Alpha waves (relaxed, drowsy)
C. Theta waves (light sleep)
D. Delta waves (slow-wave, deep sleep) [CORRECT]
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Stage 3 NREM sleep (formerly stages 3 and 4 in older classifications) is
characterized by delta waves—slow, high-amplitude brain waves. This is the deepest stage of
sleep, crucial for physical restoration, growth hormone release, and immune function. It is most
,3
difficult to awaken from this stage, and sleepwalking typically occurs here. REM sleep (not
listed) shows beta-like activity resembling wakefulness.
Q5: [Select All That Apply] Which structures are part of the limbic system and involved in
emotion and memory?
A. Amygdala [CORRECT]
B. Hippocampus [CORRECT]
C. Hypothalamus [CORRECT]
D. Cerebral cortex
Correct Answers: A, B, C
Rationale: The limbic system includes the amygdala (fear processing, emotional memories),
hippocampus (memory consolidation, spatial navigation), and hypothalamus (linking nervous
system to endocrine system, motivated behaviors). The cerebral cortex (D) is not part of the
limbic system—it is the outer layer of the brain responsible for higher cognitive functions. The
limbic system is evolutionarily older and centrally involved in survival and emotional
processing.
Q6: A person with damage to the right hemisphere of the brain might show difficulty with:
A. Language production and comprehension
B. Spatial reasoning, face recognition, and musical processing [CORRECT]
C. Logical analysis and mathematical reasoning
D. Motor control on the right side of the body
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The right cerebral hemisphere specializes in spatial abilities, face recognition,
visual-motor tasks, creativity, and emotional expression/processing. Language is typically
left-lateralized (A). Logic and math (C) are often left-hemisphere functions. Motor control is
contralateral—right hemisphere controls left side of body (D is incorrect). This hemispheric
specialization is called lateralization.
Q7: Which Gestalt principle explains why we perceive a series of flashing lights on a movie
theater marquee as a single moving light rather than separate stationary lights?
, 4
A. Figure-ground
B. Closure
C. Continuity [CORRECT]
D. Similarity
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The principle of continuity (or apparent motion) leads us to perceive smooth,
continuous movement rather than discrete, separate stimuli. This is the basis for motion pictures.
Figure-ground (A) organizes perception into subject and background. Closure (B) fills in gaps
to perceive complete forms. Similarity (D) groups similar elements together. Gestalt principles
describe how we organize sensory information into meaningful wholes.
Q8: [Select All That Apply] Which factors affect the perception of pain according to the gate-
control theory and biopsychosocial model?
A. Physical injury severity and nerve fiber activation [CORRECT]
B. Attention and distraction [CORRECT]
C. Emotional state and anxiety level [CORRECT]
D. Cultural expectations and previous pain experiences [CORRECT]
Correct Answers: A, B, C, D
Rationale: All options are correct. Melzack and Wall's gate-control theory proposed that a
"gate" in the spinal cord can modulate pain signals before they reach the brain. This gate is
influenced by physical factors (A), psychological factors like attention and emotion (B, C),
and social/cultural factors (D). The biopsychosocial model of pain recognizes that pain is not
merely a physical sensation but a complex experience shaped by biological, psychological, and
social variables.
Q9: A musician can distinguish between notes that differ by only a fraction of a semitone. This
demonstrates exceptional:
A. Absolute threshold sensitivity
B. Difference threshold (just noticeable difference, JND) sensitivity [CORRECT]
C. Sensory adaptation
D. Transduction efficiency
PSYC 101 General Psychology ACTUAL EXAM
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2026/2027 | Final
Cumulative Exam 8 | Portage Learning | Pass
Guaranteed - A+ Graded
DOMAIN 1: BIOLOGICAL BASES & SENSATION/PERCEPTION (15 Questions)
Q1: After a car accident, a patient has difficulty understanding spoken language, though their
hearing is physically fine. They can speak fluently, but their sentences are nonsensical and they
cannot repeat phrases. This suggests damage to which area of the brain?
A. Broca's area
B. Wernicke's area [CORRECT]
C. The occipital lobe
D. The cerebellum
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Wernicke's area (in the left temporal lobe) is associated with language
comprehension. Damage results in Wernicke's aphasia: fluent but meaningless speech, poor
comprehension, and impaired repetition. Broca's area (A) damage leads to non-fluent, effortful
speech with relatively intact comprehension. The occipital lobe (C) processes vision. The
cerebellum (D) coordinates movement and balance.
Q2: [Select All That Apply] Which neurotransmitters are correctly matched with their primary
functions or associated disorders?
A. Dopamine – motor control, reward, implicated in Parkinson's disease and schizophrenia
[CORRECT]
B. Serotonin – mood regulation, sleep, appetite; SSRIs increase its availability [CORRECT]
C. Acetylcholine – muscle contraction at neuromuscular junctions, memory formation
[CORRECT]
,2
D. GABA – excitatory neurotransmitter that increases neural firing
Correct Answers: A, B, C
Rationale: A, B, and C are correct matches. D is incorrect: GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid)
is the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain, reducing neural excitability. Drugs that
enhance GABA (like benzodiazepines) produce calming effects. Excitatory neurotransmitters
include glutamate. Understanding neurotransmitter functions is crucial for comprehending both
normal brain function and psychopharmacology.
Q3: A researcher stimulates the lateral hypothalamus of a rat, causing the rat to immediately
begin eating even if it has just consumed a large meal. This demonstrates that the lateral
hypothalamus serves as a(n):
A. Satiety center
B. Hunger center [CORRECT]
C. Thirst center only
D. Temperature regulation center
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The lateral hypothalamus acts as a hunger center—when stimulated, it triggers
eating behavior; when destroyed, it causes aphagia (refusal to eat). The ventromedial
hypothalamus (A) serves as the satiety center—stimulation causes cessation of eating,
destruction causes hyperphagia and obesity. The hypothalamus regulates multiple motivated
behaviors including hunger, thirst, temperature, and sexual behavior.
Q4: During stage 3 of non-REM sleep, which brain wave pattern is dominant?
A. Beta waves (alert, awake)
B. Alpha waves (relaxed, drowsy)
C. Theta waves (light sleep)
D. Delta waves (slow-wave, deep sleep) [CORRECT]
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Stage 3 NREM sleep (formerly stages 3 and 4 in older classifications) is
characterized by delta waves—slow, high-amplitude brain waves. This is the deepest stage of
sleep, crucial for physical restoration, growth hormone release, and immune function. It is most
,3
difficult to awaken from this stage, and sleepwalking typically occurs here. REM sleep (not
listed) shows beta-like activity resembling wakefulness.
Q5: [Select All That Apply] Which structures are part of the limbic system and involved in
emotion and memory?
A. Amygdala [CORRECT]
B. Hippocampus [CORRECT]
C. Hypothalamus [CORRECT]
D. Cerebral cortex
Correct Answers: A, B, C
Rationale: The limbic system includes the amygdala (fear processing, emotional memories),
hippocampus (memory consolidation, spatial navigation), and hypothalamus (linking nervous
system to endocrine system, motivated behaviors). The cerebral cortex (D) is not part of the
limbic system—it is the outer layer of the brain responsible for higher cognitive functions. The
limbic system is evolutionarily older and centrally involved in survival and emotional
processing.
Q6: A person with damage to the right hemisphere of the brain might show difficulty with:
A. Language production and comprehension
B. Spatial reasoning, face recognition, and musical processing [CORRECT]
C. Logical analysis and mathematical reasoning
D. Motor control on the right side of the body
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The right cerebral hemisphere specializes in spatial abilities, face recognition,
visual-motor tasks, creativity, and emotional expression/processing. Language is typically
left-lateralized (A). Logic and math (C) are often left-hemisphere functions. Motor control is
contralateral—right hemisphere controls left side of body (D is incorrect). This hemispheric
specialization is called lateralization.
Q7: Which Gestalt principle explains why we perceive a series of flashing lights on a movie
theater marquee as a single moving light rather than separate stationary lights?
, 4
A. Figure-ground
B. Closure
C. Continuity [CORRECT]
D. Similarity
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The principle of continuity (or apparent motion) leads us to perceive smooth,
continuous movement rather than discrete, separate stimuli. This is the basis for motion pictures.
Figure-ground (A) organizes perception into subject and background. Closure (B) fills in gaps
to perceive complete forms. Similarity (D) groups similar elements together. Gestalt principles
describe how we organize sensory information into meaningful wholes.
Q8: [Select All That Apply] Which factors affect the perception of pain according to the gate-
control theory and biopsychosocial model?
A. Physical injury severity and nerve fiber activation [CORRECT]
B. Attention and distraction [CORRECT]
C. Emotional state and anxiety level [CORRECT]
D. Cultural expectations and previous pain experiences [CORRECT]
Correct Answers: A, B, C, D
Rationale: All options are correct. Melzack and Wall's gate-control theory proposed that a
"gate" in the spinal cord can modulate pain signals before they reach the brain. This gate is
influenced by physical factors (A), psychological factors like attention and emotion (B, C),
and social/cultural factors (D). The biopsychosocial model of pain recognizes that pain is not
merely a physical sensation but a complex experience shaped by biological, psychological, and
social variables.
Q9: A musician can distinguish between notes that differ by only a fraction of a semitone. This
demonstrates exceptional:
A. Absolute threshold sensitivity
B. Difference threshold (just noticeable difference, JND) sensitivity [CORRECT]
C. Sensory adaptation
D. Transduction efficiency
