Biology

Behavioral Psychology and Physiology

1,185 Questions

Behavioral psychology and physiology explore cognitive processes, attention, memory, and learning mechanisms like conditioning. These concepts are frequently tested in general science and psychology sections of various competitive exams. Prepare thoroughly using these practice questions covering key behavioral theories and physiological functions.

Cognitive processesMemory and learningAttention and focusDevelopmental milestonesSensory perception

Behavioral Psychology and Physiology Questions

Multiple choice

The paragraph following the last one given here, if it were there, would LEAST likely discuss which of the following?

Directions: Answer the question based on the following passage.

In a major step toward helping paralytic victims walk again, Duke University researchers have announced that they had proved monkeys can use their brainpower to control the walking patterns of robots.

The investigators implanted Idoya, a rhesus monkey, with electrodes which gathered signals from her brain's motor and sensory cortex cells as she ambled along on a specially built child-size treadmill. The electrodes recorded the cells' responses as the monkey walked on the treadmill at different speeds; simultaneously, sensors on Idoya's legs tracked their patterns of movement. The information was transmitted real time from their lab in Durham, to control the commands of a humanoid robot in Kyoto, Japan.

Through the electrodes in her brain, the researchers discovered that some neurons fire at different phases and frequencies, depending on their role in the process. During the experiment, the robot continued to move for several minutes after Idoya stopped strolling on her treadmill indicating something else also.

The team’s goal is to finally enable real-time direct interfaces between a brain and electronic and mechanical devices that could be used to restore sensory and motor functions lost through injury or disease. The team hopes that one day soon, they will also master sufficient syntax to talk back to the brain, which would enable them, for instance, to build a human prosthetic arm laden with sensors to send tactile feedback into the somatosensory cortex of its user.

The experiment in monkey-to-robotic motion is the latest in a long series of studying the primate brain's ability to stimulate robotic arms through neural signals. In 2000 Nicolelis and his colleagues described how they had reliably translated the raw electrical brain activity of an owl monkey named Belle into signals that successfully directed the actions of robotic arms based both at Duke and at an MIT lab 965 kilometers away in Cambridge. Belle's tiny hand moved a joystick left or right to correspond with a horizontal series of lights on a display panel in a Duke lab; both robot arms followed suit.

A few years later, the team listened in on brain signals generated by a rhesus monkey named Aurora using a joystick to play a video game and translated them into commands for a mechanical arm to duplicate the motions. Aurora was ultimately able to move a robotic arm sans the joystick, using only her thoughts, an experiment that the team believes addresses fundamental questions about how brain circuits operate.

  1. What are the different theories of brain circuits?

  2. What are the neural mechanisms of brain circuits?

  3. What is the relationship between thought processes and brain circuits?

  4. How do neural signals bring about changes in neural circuits to cause changes in the environment?

  5. How do animals use neural signals to operate in their environment?

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
E Correct answer
Explanation

The rest of the choices given are here very likely candidates to come up for discussion next as the last paragraph is touching upon these themes only. Option (5) refers to a very different idea, namely, the use of neural signals to move about in their own environment. This is least likely to be discussed by the author in the next paragraph.Answer: (5)

Multiple choice

The author's use of the phrase 'indicating something else also' in the 3rd paragraph, implies most likely which of the following?

Directions: Answer the question based on the following passage.

In a major step toward helping paralytic victims walk again, Duke University researchers have announced that they had proved monkeys can use their brainpower to control the walking patterns of robots.

The investigators implanted Idoya, a rhesus monkey, with electrodes which gathered signals from her brain's motor and sensory cortex cells as she ambled along on a specially built child-size treadmill. The electrodes recorded the cells' responses as the monkey walked on the treadmill at different speeds; simultaneously, sensors on Idoya's legs tracked their patterns of movement. The information was transmitted real time from their lab in Durham, to control the commands of a humanoid robot in Kyoto, Japan.

Through the electrodes in her brain, the researchers discovered that some neurons fire at different phases and frequencies, depending on their role in the process. During the experiment, the robot continued to move for several minutes after Idoya stopped strolling on her treadmill indicating something else also.

The team’s goal is to finally enable real-time direct interfaces between a brain and electronic and mechanical devices that could be used to restore sensory and motor functions lost through injury or disease. The team hopes that one day soon, they will also master sufficient syntax to talk back to the brain, which would enable them, for instance, to build a human prosthetic arm laden with sensors to send tactile feedback into the somatosensory cortex of its user.

The experiment in monkey-to-robotic motion is the latest in a long series of studying the primate brain's ability to stimulate robotic arms through neural signals. In 2000 Nicolelis and his colleagues described how they had reliably translated the raw electrical brain activity of an owl monkey named Belle into signals that successfully directed the actions of robotic arms based both at Duke and at an MIT lab 965 kilometers away in Cambridge. Belle's tiny hand moved a joystick left or right to correspond with a horizontal series of lights on a display panel in a Duke lab; both robot arms followed suit.

A few years later, the team listened in on brain signals generated by a rhesus monkey named Aurora using a joystick to play a video game and translated them into commands for a mechanical arm to duplicate the motions. Aurora was ultimately able to move a robotic arm sans the joystick, using only her thoughts, an experiment that the team believes addresses fundamental questions about how brain circuits operate.

  1. The robot kept on moving despite the apparent absence of any signals. This proves that it has a brain of its own.

  2. Despite the apparent stoppage of Idoya's movement, the neurons firing in her brain kept on sending signals for certain movements to the robot, which made it move.

  3. The apparent stoppage of Idoya's movement can be attributed to the fact the neurons stopped firing in her brain while the robot kept receiving wrong signals.

  4. Even in the absence of physical movement by Idoya, the neurons in her brain were firing.

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Option (1) is not a wise choice as it talks of the robot having a brain of its own. This is certainly not the goal of the researchers, which they want to prove. A robot does have a computer inside it. In fact, this is a given. Option (3) is again wrong because it is impossible for the robot to receive a signal if it has not been sent by the monkey's brain. Option (4) lies beyond the logical domain of the passage and is not supported by it. Pay careful attention to the italicized words, which help us arrive at the correct answer, option (2). Option (5) is obviously stated and does not indicate 'something else'. Option (2) Through the electrodes in Idoya's brain, researchers found that certain neurons fire at different phases and frequencies, depending on their role in the process. During the experiment, the robot continued to move for several minutes after Idoya stopped strolling on her treadmill indicating something else also.

Multiple choice

The experiment described is ultimately an attempt to

Directions: Answer the question based on the following passage.

In a major step toward helping paralytic victims walk again, Duke University researchers have announced that they had proved monkeys can use their brainpower to control the walking patterns of robots.

The investigators implanted Idoya, a rhesus monkey, with electrodes which gathered signals from her brain's motor and sensory cortex cells as she ambled along on a specially built child-size treadmill. The electrodes recorded the cells' responses as the monkey walked on the treadmill at different speeds; simultaneously, sensors on Idoya's legs tracked their patterns of movement. The information was transmitted real time from their lab in Durham, to control the commands of a humanoid robot in Kyoto, Japan.

Through the electrodes in her brain, the researchers discovered that some neurons fire at different phases and frequencies, depending on their role in the process. During the experiment, the robot continued to move for several minutes after Idoya stopped strolling on her treadmill indicating something else also.

The team’s goal is to finally enable real-time direct interfaces between a brain and electronic and mechanical devices that could be used to restore sensory and motor functions lost through injury or disease. The team hopes that one day soon, they will also master sufficient syntax to talk back to the brain, which would enable them, for instance, to build a human prosthetic arm laden with sensors to send tactile feedback into the somatosensory cortex of its user.

The experiment in monkey-to-robotic motion is the latest in a long series of studying the primate brain's ability to stimulate robotic arms through neural signals. In 2000 Nicolelis and his colleagues described how they had reliably translated the raw electrical brain activity of an owl monkey named Belle into signals that successfully directed the actions of robotic arms based both at Duke and at an MIT lab 965 kilometers away in Cambridge. Belle's tiny hand moved a joystick left or right to correspond with a horizontal series of lights on a display panel in a Duke lab; both robot arms followed suit.

A few years later, the team listened in on brain signals generated by a rhesus monkey named Aurora using a joystick to play a video game and translated them into commands for a mechanical arm to duplicate the motions. Aurora was ultimately able to move a robotic arm sans the joystick, using only her thoughts, an experiment that the team believes addresses fundamental questions about how brain circuits operate.

  1. prove that monkeys can help robots walk

  2. prove that signals carrying information from the brain, when passed on to a robot, can help it walk

  3. act as an intermediate step in the process of helping injured people walk again

  4. prove basically a very scholarly point that information from the brain controls all limb movements

  5. master enough language to interact with the brain

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Option (1) represents only the surface of the experiment. If you go deeper, you will realize that it is only a stepping stone. So is true of option (2). Option (3): Pay careful attention to the word ultimately in the question stem and go back to the very first line of the opening paragraph and also the 4th paragraph in particular, which lead us to the right option (3). Option (4) is the ground on which the entire theory rests. It can never become the final goal, as it is already a well-known fact and in fact is the premise on which the entire experiment rests. Option (5) is again a milestone in the process of achieving the final goal. Hence ruled out.

Multiple choice

What is the function of the fourth paragraph in relation to the passage as a whole?

Directions: Answer the question based on the following passage.

In a major step toward helping paralytic victims walk again, Duke University researchers have announced that they had proved monkeys can use their brainpower to control the walking patterns of robots.

The investigators implanted Idoya, a rhesus monkey, with electrodes which gathered signals from her brain's motor and sensory cortex cells as she ambled along on a specially built child-size treadmill. The electrodes recorded the cells' responses as the monkey walked on the treadmill at different speeds; simultaneously, sensors on Idoya's legs tracked their patterns of movement. The information was transmitted real time from their lab in Durham, to control the commands of a humanoid robot in Kyoto, Japan.

Through the electrodes in her brain, the researchers discovered that some neurons fire at different phases and frequencies, depending on their role in the process. During the experiment, the robot continued to move for several minutes after Idoya stopped strolling on her treadmill indicating something else also.

The team’s goal is to finally enable real-time direct interfaces between a brain and electronic and mechanical devices that could be used to restore sensory and motor functions lost through injury or disease. The team hopes that one day soon, they will also master sufficient syntax to talk back to the brain, which would enable them, for instance, to build a human prosthetic arm laden with sensors to send tactile feedback into the somatosensory cortex of its user.

The experiment in monkey-to-robotic motion is the latest in a long series of studying the primate brain's ability to stimulate robotic arms through neural signals. In 2000 Nicolelis and his colleagues described how they had reliably translated the raw electrical brain activity of an owl monkey named Belle into signals that successfully directed the actions of robotic arms based both at Duke and at an MIT lab 965 kilometers away in Cambridge. Belle's tiny hand moved a joystick left or right to correspond with a horizontal series of lights on a display panel in a Duke lab; both robot arms followed suit.

A few years later, the team listened in on brain signals generated by a rhesus monkey named Aurora using a joystick to play a video game and translated them into commands for a mechanical arm to duplicate the motions. Aurora was ultimately able to move a robotic arm sans the joystick, using only her thoughts, an experiment that the team believes addresses fundamental questions about how brain circuits operate.

  1. It represents the essence of the entire paragraph while the rest is only a description of how the researchers are doing it.

  2. It represents the central idea of entire paragraph while the rest is doing nothing to either counter or support it.

  3. It is an unnecessary comment having very little relation with what follows or precedes it.

  4. It represents a far-fetched idea, not-so-easily actionable in near future.

  5. It is basically an attempt at preparing the reader for the contents that follow in the next paragraph.

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Option (1) is the best one as not only is the paragraph describing the major goal behind the experiment, but the rest of the passage also gives us findings which go on to support the idea of easy achievability of the goal. Option (2) is wrong as the rest of the passage does support it to a great extent. Option (3) is irrelevant as it is very much in place here, for it addresses some aspects of the same issue. Option (4) talks of the idea being far-fetched, which does not seem to be true here. It is a distinct possibility, given the weight of evidence here. Option (5) is factually wrong as the next paragraph following it addresses a very different aspect.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is / are NOT correct in the context of this passage?

  1. Fundamentally speaking, there appears to be great similarity at the functional level between the observations made in both the Bell and the Idoya cases.
  2. The Aurora experiment proves that thoughts can, on their own, enable robotic movement if the relevant signals duly reach the recipient part even in the absence of actual physical contact.
  3. It is only the signals that enable particular movements and it is the neurons that generate these signals.
  4. Theoretically speaking at least, one should be able to enjoy music or dance even if the relevant signals are not sent to the recipient.

    Directions: Answer the question based on the following passage.

    In a major step toward helping paralytic victims walk again, Duke University researchers have announced that they had proved monkeys can use their brainpower to control the walking patterns of robots.

    The investigators implanted Idoya, a rhesus monkey, with electrodes which gathered signals from her brain's motor and sensory cortex cells as she ambled along on a specially built child-size treadmill. The electrodes recorded the cells' responses as the monkey walked on the treadmill at different speeds; simultaneously, sensors on Idoya's legs tracked their patterns of movement. The information was transmitted real time from their lab in Durham, to control the commands of a humanoid robot in Kyoto, Japan.

    Through the electrodes in her brain, the researchers discovered that some neurons fire at different phases and frequencies, depending on their role in the process. During the experiment, the robot continued to move for several minutes after Idoya stopped strolling on her treadmill indicating something else also.

    The team’s goal is to finally enable real-time direct interfaces between a brain and electronic and mechanical devices that could be used to restore sensory and motor functions lost through injury or disease. The team hopes that one day soon, they will also master sufficient syntax to talk back to the brain, which would enable them, for instance, to build a human prosthetic arm laden with sensors to send tactile feedback into the somatosensory cortex of its user.

    The experiment in monkey-to-robotic motion is the latest in a long series of studying the primate brain's ability to stimulate robotic arms through neural signals. In 2000 Nicolelis and his colleagues described how they had reliably translated the raw electrical brain activity of an owl monkey named Belle into signals that successfully directed the actions of robotic arms based both at Duke and at an MIT lab 965 kilometers away in Cambridge. Belle's tiny hand moved a joystick left or right to correspond with a horizontal series of lights on a display panel in a Duke lab; both robot arms followed suit.

    A few years later, the team listened in on brain signals generated by a rhesus monkey named Aurora using a joystick to play a video game and translated them into commands for a mechanical arm to duplicate the motions. Aurora was ultimately able to move a robotic arm sans the joystick, using only her thoughts, an experiment that the team believes addresses fundamental questions about how brain circuits operate.

  1. 1, 2

  2. 3, 4

  3. 1 Only

  4. 2, 3

  5. None of these

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
E Correct answer
Explanation

Both these cases illustrate that it is possible for appropriate brain signals to initiate movement at the end of the recipient. Thus choice (1) is correct as is (2). In fact this is very clearly stated in the last few lines of the passage. Choice (3) can be reasonably deduced from all these experiments in that even while actual physical movement was not there, brain signals were able to generate movement. It would be reasonable to believe the truth of choice (4) because if it can be true of limb movements, it can be equally true of other activities too. Hence all the choices given here are correct. Since none of them is wrong, the best answer would be (5). Answer: (5)

Multiple choice
  1. Withdrawal of a hand on touching a hot plate.

  2. Watering of mouth at the smell of food.

  3. Closing of eyes on being approached by an object.

  4. Sweating while it is very hot.

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

A conditioned reflex is a learned response, such as Pavlov's dog salivating at the smell or sound associated with food, unlike innate reflexes.

Multiple choice
  1. Stimulus

  2. Sensitivity

  3. Acclimatization

  4. Irritability

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

It is a characteristic features of living beings to respond towards the changes taking place in the surroundings. What ever are the changes in the surrounding that make living organisms to response are known as stimuli.

Multiple choice
  1. Breathing

  2. Withdrawal of hand on touching an object

  3. Closing of mimosa leaves on touching

  4. Moving away of animals from bright light

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Withdrawal of hand on touching hot body, closure of mimosa leaves on touching and movement away from bright light are all the examples of response to stimulus. But breathing is an action of body going continuously without waiting for any response and is involuntary.

Multiple choice
  1. Sneezing

  2. Yawning

  3. Chewing

  4. Crying

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Chewing is a voluntary action, not a reflex action.Through the process of mastication or chewing, teeth physically break down the tough tissues of meats and fibers of plants into smaller particles. 

Multiple choice
  1. Knee jerk and coughing

  2. Dancing and cycling

  3. Singing and running

  4. Swimming and driving

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

This option is correct because they are unconditioned and involuntary reflexes without any function of brain, these are inborn.

Multiple choice

The paragraph following the last one given here, if it were there, would LEAST likely discuss which of the following?

Directions: The passage below is followed by a question. Answer the question on the basis of what is stated or implied in the passage.

In a major step toward helping paralytic victims walk again, Duke University researchers have announced that they had proved monkeys can use their brainpower to control the walking patterns of robots. The investigators implanted Idoya, a rhesus monkey, with electrodes which gathered signals from her brain's motor and sensory cortex cells as she ambled along on a specially built child-size treadmill. The electrodes recorded the cells' responses as the monkey walked on the treadmill at different speeds; simultaneously, sensors on Idoya's legs tracked their patterns of movement. The information was transmitted real time from their lab in Durham, to control the commands of a humanoid robot in Kyoto, Japan.

Through the electrodes in her brain, the researchers discovered that some neurons fire at different phases and frequencies, depending on their role in the process. During the experiment, the robot continued to move for several minutes after Idoya stopped strolling on her treadmill indicating something else also.

The team’s goal is to finally enable real-time direct interfaces between a brain and electronic and mechanical devices that could be used to restore sensory and motor functions lost through injury or disease. The team hopes that one day soon, they will also master sufficient syntax to talk back to the brain, which would enable them, for instance, to build a human prosthetic arm laden with sensors to send tactile feedback into the somatosensory cortex of its user.

The experiment in monkey-to-robotic motion is the latest in a long series of studying the primate brain's ability to stimulate robotic arms through neural signals. In 2000 Nicolelis and his colleagues described how they had reliably translated the raw electrical brain activity of an owl monkey named Belle into signals that successfully directed the actions of robotic arms based both at Duke and at an MIT lab 965 kilometers away in Cambridge. Belle's tiny hand moved a joystick left or right to correspond with a horizontal series of lights on a display panel in a Duke lab; both robot arms followed suit.

A few years later, the team listened in on brain signals generated by a rhesus monkey named Aurora using a joystick to play a video game and translated them into commands for a mechanical arm to duplicate the motions. Aurora was ultimately able to move a robotic arm sans the joystick, using only her thoughts, an experiment that the team believes addresses fundamental questions about how brain circuits operate.
  1. What are the different theories of brain circuits?

  2. What are the neural mechanisms of brain circuits?

  3. What is the relationship between thought processes and brain circuits?

  4. How do neural signals bring about changes in neural circuits to cause changes in the environment?

  5. How do animals use neural signals to operate in their environment?

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
E Correct answer
Explanation

The rest of the choices given are here very likely candidates to come up for discussion next as the last paragraph is touching upon these themes only. Option (5) refers to a very different idea, namely, the use of neural signals to move about in their own environment. This is least likely to be discussed by the author in the next paragraph.