PSYC 101 | PSYC101 Exam 2: General Psychology
Updated and Latest Questions and Correct
Answers with Rationale - Portage Learning
1. Which part of the neuron is primarily responsible for receiving incoming signals from other
neurons?
A. Axon
B. Terminal Buttons
C. Myelin Sheath
D. Dendrites
Correct Answer: D
Explanation: Dendrites are branch-like extensions that act as the primary receptors for
neurochemical signals from neighboring cells. The axon is responsible for carrying the
electrical impulse away from the cell body toward other neurons. The myelin sheath serves
as an insulator to speed up the transmission of these electrical impulses. Terminal buttons
are located at the end of the axon and release neurotransmitters into the synapse. Effective
reception by dendrites is the first step in neural communication that eventually influences
behavior.
2. A patient suffers a stroke and subsequently has difficulty producing speech, although they
can understand what others are saying. Which area of the brain was likely damaged?
A. Wernicke’s Area
B. Broca’s Area
C. Occipital Lobe
D. Parietal Lobe
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: Broca’s area, located in the left frontal lobe, is essential for the mechanical
production of speech. Damage to Wernicke’s area typically results in the ability to speak
fluently but with a lack of meaning or comprehension. The occipital lobe is primarily
involved in visual processing rather than language production. The parietal lobe handles
somatosensory information like touch and body position. Understanding these localized
functions helps psychologists diagnose how specific brain injuries alter cognitive and
behavioral capabilities.
3. Which neurotransmitter is most closely associated with the ‘reward system’ and is often
implicated in addiction?
A. Acetylcholine
,B. GABA
C. Serotonin
D. Dopamine
Correct Answer: D
Explanation: Dopamine is the primary neurotransmitter involved in the brain’s reward
and pleasure circuits. Acetylcholine is largely responsible for muscle action and memory
formation. GABA serves as the brain’s major inhibitory neurotransmitter to reduce
neuronal excitability. Serotonin is primarily linked to mood regulation, sleep, and appetite
rather than the direct reward pathway. The release of dopamine reinforces certain
behaviors, making it a critical component in understanding both motivation and substance
abuse.
4. When you first jump into a cold swimming pool, the water feels freezing, but after a few
minutes, you no longer notice the cold. This phenomenon is known as:
A. Difference Threshold
B. Absolute Threshold
C. Sensory Adaptation
D. Perceptual Set
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: Sensory adaptation occurs when sensory receptors become less responsive
to constant, unchanging stimuli. The absolute threshold refers to the minimum intensity of
a stimulus needed for it to be detected half the time. A difference threshold, or just
noticeable difference, is the smallest change in a stimulus that can be detected. A
perceptual set involves a mental predisposition to perceive things in a certain way based
on expectations. This biological process allows the brain to ignore redundant information
and focus on novel environmental changes.
5. Which division of the nervous system is responsible for the ‘fight or flight’ response during
a stressful event?
A. Somatic Nervous System
B. Parasympathetic Nervous System
C. Sympathetic Nervous System
D. Central Nervous System
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: The sympathetic nervous system activates physiological changes like
increased heart rate to prepare the body for action. The parasympathetic nervous system
, works to calm the body down and conserve energy after a threat has passed. The somatic
nervous system controls voluntary movements of skeletal muscles. The central nervous
system consists of the brain and spinal cord, serving as the primary processing center. This
automatic biological reaction is essential for survival when an individual perceives a threat
in their environment.
6. The process by which sensory receptors convert physical energy (like light) into neural
impulses is called:
A. Accommodation
B. Perception
C. Conduction
D. Transduction
Correct Answer: D
Explanation: Transduction is the critical biological process of transforming physical
stimuli into electrical signals that the brain can interpret. Accommodation refers
specifically to the eye’s lens changing shape to focus on near or far objects. Conduction
usually refers to the movement of an electrical impulse along the axon of a neuron.
Perception is the psychological process of organizing and interpreting those neural signals
into meaningful experiences. Without transduction, our brains would have no way to
access or understand the physical world around us.
7. Which structure in the limbic system is primarily responsible for the formation of new long-
term memories?
A. Amygdala
B. Hypothalamus
C. Thalamus
D. Hippocampus
Correct Answer: D
Explanation: The hippocampus is essential for processing and storing explicit memories of
facts and events. The amygdala is more focused on emotional processing, particularly fear
and aggression. The hypothalamus regulates vital functions like hunger, thirst, and body
temperature to maintain homeostasis. The thalamus serves as a relay station for all sensory
information except smell. Damage to the hippocampus results in anterograde amnesia,
where an individual cannot form new memories despite retaining old ones.
8. Low levels of which neurotransmitter are most frequently associated with clinical
depression?
A. Serotonin
B. Glutamate
Updated and Latest Questions and Correct
Answers with Rationale - Portage Learning
1. Which part of the neuron is primarily responsible for receiving incoming signals from other
neurons?
A. Axon
B. Terminal Buttons
C. Myelin Sheath
D. Dendrites
Correct Answer: D
Explanation: Dendrites are branch-like extensions that act as the primary receptors for
neurochemical signals from neighboring cells. The axon is responsible for carrying the
electrical impulse away from the cell body toward other neurons. The myelin sheath serves
as an insulator to speed up the transmission of these electrical impulses. Terminal buttons
are located at the end of the axon and release neurotransmitters into the synapse. Effective
reception by dendrites is the first step in neural communication that eventually influences
behavior.
2. A patient suffers a stroke and subsequently has difficulty producing speech, although they
can understand what others are saying. Which area of the brain was likely damaged?
A. Wernicke’s Area
B. Broca’s Area
C. Occipital Lobe
D. Parietal Lobe
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: Broca’s area, located in the left frontal lobe, is essential for the mechanical
production of speech. Damage to Wernicke’s area typically results in the ability to speak
fluently but with a lack of meaning or comprehension. The occipital lobe is primarily
involved in visual processing rather than language production. The parietal lobe handles
somatosensory information like touch and body position. Understanding these localized
functions helps psychologists diagnose how specific brain injuries alter cognitive and
behavioral capabilities.
3. Which neurotransmitter is most closely associated with the ‘reward system’ and is often
implicated in addiction?
A. Acetylcholine
,B. GABA
C. Serotonin
D. Dopamine
Correct Answer: D
Explanation: Dopamine is the primary neurotransmitter involved in the brain’s reward
and pleasure circuits. Acetylcholine is largely responsible for muscle action and memory
formation. GABA serves as the brain’s major inhibitory neurotransmitter to reduce
neuronal excitability. Serotonin is primarily linked to mood regulation, sleep, and appetite
rather than the direct reward pathway. The release of dopamine reinforces certain
behaviors, making it a critical component in understanding both motivation and substance
abuse.
4. When you first jump into a cold swimming pool, the water feels freezing, but after a few
minutes, you no longer notice the cold. This phenomenon is known as:
A. Difference Threshold
B. Absolute Threshold
C. Sensory Adaptation
D. Perceptual Set
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: Sensory adaptation occurs when sensory receptors become less responsive
to constant, unchanging stimuli. The absolute threshold refers to the minimum intensity of
a stimulus needed for it to be detected half the time. A difference threshold, or just
noticeable difference, is the smallest change in a stimulus that can be detected. A
perceptual set involves a mental predisposition to perceive things in a certain way based
on expectations. This biological process allows the brain to ignore redundant information
and focus on novel environmental changes.
5. Which division of the nervous system is responsible for the ‘fight or flight’ response during
a stressful event?
A. Somatic Nervous System
B. Parasympathetic Nervous System
C. Sympathetic Nervous System
D. Central Nervous System
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: The sympathetic nervous system activates physiological changes like
increased heart rate to prepare the body for action. The parasympathetic nervous system
, works to calm the body down and conserve energy after a threat has passed. The somatic
nervous system controls voluntary movements of skeletal muscles. The central nervous
system consists of the brain and spinal cord, serving as the primary processing center. This
automatic biological reaction is essential for survival when an individual perceives a threat
in their environment.
6. The process by which sensory receptors convert physical energy (like light) into neural
impulses is called:
A. Accommodation
B. Perception
C. Conduction
D. Transduction
Correct Answer: D
Explanation: Transduction is the critical biological process of transforming physical
stimuli into electrical signals that the brain can interpret. Accommodation refers
specifically to the eye’s lens changing shape to focus on near or far objects. Conduction
usually refers to the movement of an electrical impulse along the axon of a neuron.
Perception is the psychological process of organizing and interpreting those neural signals
into meaningful experiences. Without transduction, our brains would have no way to
access or understand the physical world around us.
7. Which structure in the limbic system is primarily responsible for the formation of new long-
term memories?
A. Amygdala
B. Hypothalamus
C. Thalamus
D. Hippocampus
Correct Answer: D
Explanation: The hippocampus is essential for processing and storing explicit memories of
facts and events. The amygdala is more focused on emotional processing, particularly fear
and aggression. The hypothalamus regulates vital functions like hunger, thirst, and body
temperature to maintain homeostasis. The thalamus serves as a relay station for all sensory
information except smell. Damage to the hippocampus results in anterograde amnesia,
where an individual cannot form new memories despite retaining old ones.
8. Low levels of which neurotransmitter are most frequently associated with clinical
depression?
A. Serotonin
B. Glutamate
