Practice Exam NSBED
H1. Introduction to social neuroscience
1. Give a definition of social neuroscience
2. What is the function of the mammalian brain, according to the triune brain model?
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b. The mammalian brain consists of the limbic system and is related to emotionality and behavior
flexibility
c. De mammalian brain consist of the neo-cortex and is related to rationality and behavioral control
d. The mammalian brain is related to the subcortex, and is related to emotionality and behavior
flexibility
3. What is the least modular part of the social brain, according to the triune brain model?
a. The primate brain
b. The mammalian brain
c. The reptilian brain
d. both the primate and the reptilian brain
4. What does gene-culture co-evolution mean?
a. Gene evolution is cross-cultural
b. Gene evolution is faster in some cultures than others, dependent on education levels in the culture
c. Culture can influence gene frequencies in a population, and genes can have an impact on cultural
evolution
d. Some genes make the amount of possible cultures limited, like high empathy in cultures that do
slavery.
5. What statement is true?
I. There is proof of different alleles of the serotonin transporter gene between collectivist and
individualist cultures
II. China is an example of a collectivist culture
a. both statements are true
b. Both statements are false
c. Statement I is true, statement II is false
d. Statement II is true, statement I is false
H2 The methods of social neuroscience
1. Name the two specific observational methods named in the book and explain them
2. What is not true about questionnaires?
a. Participants tend to opt for ‘agree’ more often than ‘disagree’
b. There is a chance of social desirability
c. Surveys have a high external validity
d. Surveys are commonly used in neuro-imaging research as a control variable
3. What measurement method gives the best spatial and temporal resolution?
a. Single cell recordings
b. fMRI
, c. Electroencephalography
d. Diffusion Tensor Imaging
4. How does an fMRI work?
a. There is an amount of water in blood that is magnetic, which the fMRI detects. When
there is more blood needed in an active brain region, there is more water there, so the
fMRI sees this.
b. When blood reaches an active brain region, the blood is still very oxygenated. This
oxygen in the blood has paramagnetic properties which reduces the signal on the fMRI.
c. When blood reaches an active brain region, the blood is deoxygenated. This
deoxygenated blood has paramagnetic properties, which reduces the BOLD response.
d. By injecting a magnetic radioactive contrast in the bloodstream, an fMRI can see where
blood goes by measuring the amount of magnetic force in the brain area that is active.
5. In transcranial direct current stimulation, brain regions can be activated using electrodes.
When performing this, a decreased cortical excitability and decreased performance on a task
can be found. What type of tDCS is this?
a. Cathodal tDCS
b. Anodal tDCS
c. Sham Stimulation
d. Overcompensational tDCS
H3 Evolutionary origins of social intelligence and culture
1. What does culture mean?
2. Peter starts yawning. Lisa is looking at him and suddenly feels the urge to yawn as well. What
happened here?
a. They are both tired
b. Contagion
c. Mimicry
d. Simulation
3. Which of the following is an example of intentional stance?
a. Eric is looking angry at Pete. When Pete looks back at him, Eric doesn’t move and hopes
his angry face will make him look more dominant than Pete
b. Jessica pressed a button, but instead of her hands she used her foot. Pete did not see her
push the button, but when asked to push it just like Jessica did, he uses his hand because
that seems logical to him.
c. John doesn’t know how to climb in trees. He asks his neighbor, who is a world champion
in tree climbing, to climb the tree so he can watch and make mental notes.
d. Natasha is a singer. While performing she forgets her lyrics. She sings the chorus of her
song again and then remembers her lyrics again. This is a trick she always uses
4. What is the correct definition of Syntax?
a. The syntax involves the meaning of words in a language that differ between different
languages
b. The syntax is the intonation in language. When some words are emphasized, the
sentences get a different meaning
c. The syntax are the rules by which words are combined to make meaningful sentences.
Like grammar.
d. The syntax is a calculator used by mathematicians in order to understand complicated
brain models
5. What is the receptive field?
