CLEP Psychology 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which neurotransmitter is primarily targeted by SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) to regulate mood?
- Dopamine
- Acetylcholine
- Serotonin (Correct answer)
- GABA
Correct answer: Serotonin
SSRIs block the reuptake of serotonin, increasing its availability in the synapse — the mechanism directly names the neurotransmitter targeted.
Question 2: The gate-control theory of pain proposes that pain signals can be inhibited by:
- Activation of large-diameter nerve fibers (Correct answer)
- Decreased serotonin levels
- Activation of the amygdala
- Inhibition of endorphins
Correct answer: Activation of large-diameter nerve fibers
Large-diameter fiber activity closes the 'gate' in the spinal cord, blocking transmission of pain signals to the brain — which is why rubbing an injury reduces pain.
Question 3: REM sleep is best characterized by:
- Slow rolling eye movements and delta waves
- The lowest arousal threshold of all sleep stages
- Vivid dreaming and temporary muscle atonia (Correct answer)
- Dominance of sleep spindles and K-complexes
Correct answer: Vivid dreaming and temporary muscle atonia
REM sleep features vivid dreaming and muscle atonia (paralysis) that prevents the sleeper from acting out dreams.
Question 4: Neuroplasticity refers to:
- The brain's ability to reorganize and form new neural connections throughout life (Correct answer)
- The genetic determination of brain structure at birth
- The rigid, fixed nature of neural pathways after early childhood
- The flexibility of myelin sheaths around axons
Correct answer: The brain's ability to reorganize and form new neural connections throughout life
Neuroplasticity is the brain's lifelong capacity to change structurally and functionally in response to experience, learning, or injury.
Question 5: Which division of the autonomic nervous system is responsible for the 'fight-or-flight' response?
- Somatic nervous system
- Parasympathetic nervous system
- Sympathetic nervous system (Correct answer)
- Central nervous system
Correct answer: Sympathetic nervous system
The sympathetic nervous system activates fight-or-flight, increasing heart rate, dilating pupils, and redirecting blood to muscles during perceived threats.
Question 6: The all-or-none principle of neural firing states that:
- All neurons in a network fire simultaneously or none fire
- A neuron fires at full intensity once threshold is reached, or does not fire at all (Correct answer)
- A neuron requires all neurotransmitters to be present before firing
- Action potentials vary in strength based on stimulus intensity
Correct answer: A neuron fires at full intensity once threshold is reached, or does not fire at all
Once a stimulus exceeds the threshold, a neuron fires at full intensity — there is no partial action potential, hence 'all-or-none.'
Question 7: Which lobe of the cerebral cortex is primarily responsible for processing visual information?
- Frontal lobe
- Parietal lobe
- Temporal lobe
- Occipital lobe (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Occipital lobe
The occipital lobe, located at the back of the brain, contains the primary visual cortex and is the main area for processing visual information.
CLEP Psychology 1
Which neurotransmitter is primarily targeted by SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) to regulate mood?