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AP Psychology Biopsychology — practice questions

Explore 69 free Biopsychology questions in AP Psychology Psychology. Open each question or exercise to read its content, reference answers and available explanation.

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Biopsychology questions and exercises with answers

Showing questions 1–30 of 69.

Which part of a neuron receives incoming signals from other neurons?Read the answer and worked solution →The thalamus acts as a sensory relay for the brain, with which sense being the exception?Read the answer and worked solution →Which structure controls automatic processes such as breathing, blood pressure and heart rate?Read the answer and worked solution →The pituitary gland is often called the master gland because it:Read the answer and worked solution →Insulin and glucagon, the two hormones that regulate blood sugar, are secreted by:Read the answer and worked solution →Which glands sit atop the kidneys and secrete epinephrine and norepinephrine?Read the answer and worked solution →A drug that mimics a neurotransmitter at the receptor site and strengthens its effects is called:Read the answer and worked solution →Which limbic structure is described as essential for learning and memory?Read the answer and worked solution →A recessive phenotype such as smooth chin is expressed only when the individual is:Read the answer and worked solution →The three basic functions of memory are encoding, storage and:Read the answer and worked solution →Remembering what you ate for lunch without trying is an example of:Read the answer and worked solution →The encoding of words and their meaning is called:Read the answer and worked solution →Craik and Tulving found verbal information is best remembered when encoded:Read the answer and worked solution →Better memory for information that relates to oneself is the:Read the answer and worked solution →Atkinson and Shiffrin's 1968 model says memory passes through sensory memory, short-term memory and:Read the answer and worked solution →In Baddeley and Hitch's working memory model, the part that controls information flow is the:Read the answer and worked solution →Short-term memory storage lasts about:Read the answer and worked solution →George Miller's 1956 review reported the capacity of short-term memory as:Read the answer and worked solution →Peterson and Peterson's trigram study concluded that short-term memory decays in:Read the answer and worked solution →Previously learned information interfering with learning new information is:Read the answer and worked solution →Long-term memory storage capacity is believed to be:Read the answer and worked solution →Hearing peanut butter and thinking jelly shows memories organised in:Read the answer and worked solution →Memory of your last birthday is which type of explicit memory?Read the answer and worked solution →Riding a bicycle without being able to explain how is an example of:Read the answer and worked solution →Reading about a picnic makes you unscramble letters into plate rather than petal. This is:Read the answer and worked solution →Karl Lashley searched rat brains for the physical trace of memory, called the:Read the answer and worked solution →Which brain part regulates fear and helps decide which memories to store?Read the answer and worked solution →Patient H. M. could not form new memories after removal of his:Read the answer and worked solution →Strong emotions triggering strong memories is called:Read the answer and worked solution →An exceptionally clear recollection of an important event is a:Read the answer and worked solution →

Worked practice questions

Which part of a neuron receives incoming signals from other neurons?

  1. The axon and its branches
  2. The dendrites of the cell
  3. The soma, or cell body
  4. The terminal buttons
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Correct answer: B. The dendrites of the cell

1. A neuron's structure maps directly onto the direction a signal travels. 2. Dendrites are branching extensions of the soma and serve as the input sites where signals are received from other neurons. 3. The signal then passes through the soma and down the axon to the terminal buttons. 4. The terminal buttons release neurotransmitters into the synapse, so they are the output end rather than the input end. _Source: OpenStax Psychology (1st ed., CC BY 4.0), Ch 3 "Biopsychology", §3.2 Cells of the Nervous System_

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The thalamus acts as a sensory relay for the brain, with which sense being the exception?

  1. Smell
  2. Taste
  3. Touch
  4. Vision
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Correct answer: A. Smell

1. The thalamus is described as a sensory relay for the brain. 2. All of our senses, with the exception of smell, are routed through the thalamus before being directed elsewhere for processing. 3. Smell instead projects directly to the limbic system. 4. The chapter uses that direct projection to explain why smell can evoke emotional responses in ways other sensory modalities cannot. _Source: OpenStax Psychology (1st ed., CC BY 4.0), Ch 3 "Biopsychology", §3.4 The Brain and Spinal Cord_

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Which structure controls automatic processes such as breathing, blood pressure and heart rate?

  1. The cerebellum
  2. The medulla
  3. The amygdala
  4. The thalamus
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Correct answer: B. The medulla

1. The chapter assigns the basic life-support functions to the medulla. 2. It states that the medulla controls the automatic processes of the autonomic nervous system, such as breathing, blood pressure and heart rate. 3. The cerebellum instead handles balance, coordination, movement and motor skills, along with procedural memory. 4. The amygdala deals with emotion and the thalamus relays the senses, so neither maintains vital functions. _Source: OpenStax Psychology (1st ed., CC BY 4.0), Ch 3 "Biopsychology", §3.4 The Brain and Spinal Cord_

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