The Element Mercury Causes Massive Brain Dysfunction, Including Hallucinations and Delusions

question 13

Multiple Choice

The element mercury causes massive brain dysfunction, including hallucinations and delusions. A "silver filling" from your dentist is actually 50% to 66% mercury and only 35% silver. The American Dentistry Association (ADA) says that "silver amalgams" are safe. A psychologist wishes to determine whether mercury fillings affect a child's brain functioning. The Coolidge Personality and Neuropsychological Inventory Neuropsychological Dysfunction (ND) scale has 20 questions, such as "My child has learning problems," "My child is hyperactive," and so on. The overall score on the ND scale ranges from 0 (no evidence of brain dysfunction) to 20 (severe brain dysfunction) . The survey is given to parents as they visit a dentist with their child. The number of "silver" fillings is noted, as is the child's gender. For analysis purposes, the children are divided up into whether they have no fillings, one to three fillings, or more than five fillings, and their ND score is noted. $\begin{array} { c c c c c c } \hline { \text { No Fillings } } && { \text { One to Three Fillings } } &&{ \text { Five or More Fillings } } \\\hline \text { Male } & \text { Female } & \text { Male } & \text { Female } & \text { Male } & \text { Female } \\\hline 7 & 4 & 11 & 6 & 17 & 13 \\4 & 6 & 12 & 9 & 20 & 15 \\6 & 7 & 10 & 9 & 15 & 11 \\7 & 8 & 9 & 9 & 17 & 12 \\5 & 4 & 13 & 8 & 14 & 12 \\ 5 & 7 & 14 & 5 & 18 & 14 \\\hline\end{array}$
-The F value for fillings is

• A)6.045
• B)31.225
• C)81.952
• D)1.000

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Definitions:

Circadian Arousal

The fluctuation of physiological and behavioral processes, including wakefulness and sleepiness, following a roughly 24-hour cycle, influenced by external light-dark cycles.

Melatonin Secretion

The release of the hormone melatonin by the pineal gland, typically increased in response to darkness, influencing sleep patterns.

Sharpest Thinking

The state of having the most acute, focused, or keen cognitive function, allowing for optimal problem-solving and decision-making.

Sequential Processing

The method of processing information in a linear, step-by-step manner, often contrasted with parallel processing.