Describe neural plasticity, and give an example of why it is helpful to a developing infant's brain.
What will be an ideal response?
- Plasticity is the ability of the brain to modify its structure and connections based on experience. The "plastic" part of the term refers to "malleable" or "modifiable."
- Plasticity is greatest during the first two years of life, when neural connections are being established in an infant's brain.
- Should trauma occur during that period, the brain can "reorganize" itself by assigning functions from damaged areas to nondamaged areas.
- This capacity for realignment would be helpful if an infant suffered trauma such as an accident or brain injury.
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In experimental research, the variable that the researcher measures because it is thought to be affected by the manipulation of another variable is the
a. extraneous variable. b. dependent variable. c. independent variable. d. controlled variable.
Which term means rankings that represent the relative social power of those in a group?
a) social competence b) status c) dominance hierarchy d) social problem solving
Bonanno and colleagues' (2011) study on grieving found support for the contention that a. feelings of grief increase significantly with age
b. excessive processing of grief may actually increase stress in a bereaved individual. c. men show more grief processing than women. d. when a person dies as the result of passive euthanasia, grief tends to be more intense.
Regarding the effects of human activity on the environment, which of the following statements is FALSE?
a. Exposure to toxic hazards, such as radiation, pesticides, and industrial chemicals, leads to an elevated risk of physical and mental disease. b. The long-range impact of human activities on the environment is already becoming evident through the extinction of plants and animals. c. Individuals do much more environmental damage than corporations or governments who are required to follow strict environmental standards. d. Most of the environmental problems we face can be traced back to the human tendency to overuse natural resources.