Donatella Participates in a Study and Is Asked to View

question 75

Multiple Choice

Donatella participates in a study and is asked to view a series of images that are likely to provoke strong emotion: a father caressing his newborn baby;a child crying at his mother's funeral;and a shark ferociously attacking a seal.While she views these images,a PET scan monitors her brain activity.What is the PET scan likely to show?

• A)A specialized region of the prefrontal cortex shows robust activity for all of her emotions.
• B)Separate cortical "emotion centers" respond to each of her emotions.
• C)The prototypic "emotional pattern" of activity is observed in response to all of her emotions.
• D)Distinct patterns of activity will be observed for each of her emotions.

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Definitions:

Action Potential

A temporary reversal of an electrical charge across the membrane of a nerve cell that results in the transmission of an electrical impulse.

Central Nervous System

The part of the nervous system consisting of the brain and spinal cord, which acts as the processing center for nervous functions.

Motor-Control Information

Knowledge and processes involved in the planning, initiation, and regulation of physical movement.

Spinal Cord

The central nerve bundle running down the spine that transmits messages between the brain and the body.