Lesson 8.1.2

8.1.2 Biological explanations of addiction Quiz: Pearson Edexcel Psychology, Unit 8

20 questions

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Lesson 8.1.2, Biological explanations of addiction: 20 multiple choice questions for the Pearson Edexcel Psychology (9PS0), Unit 8: Health psychology, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. Which neurotransmitter is most directly involved in the brain's reward system during drug misuse?

    • GABA
    • Acetylcholine
    • Serotonin
    • Dopamine

  2. Which brain receptors does heroin bind to in order to produce analgesia and euphoria?

    • GABA receptors
    • Dopamine receptors
    • Opioid receptors
    • Nicotinic receptors

  3. Which neurotransmitter system does alcohol primarily enhance to produce its inhibitory, sedating effects?

    • Dopamine
    • Acetylcholine
    • Serotonin
    • GABA

  4. Which receptors in the brain does nicotine primarily bind to upon inhalation?

    • GABA-A
    • Opioid mu
    • Beta adrenergic
    • Nicotinic acetylcholine

  5. Which brain structure is the primary target in the mesolimbic reward pathway for drug-induced dopamine release?

    • Hippocampus
    • Amygdala
    • Prefrontal cortex
    • Nucleus accumbens

  6. What term describes an inherited biological vulnerability that increases the likelihood of developing addiction?

    • Genetic predisposition
    • Classical conditioning
    • Neural adaptation
    • Vicarious reinforcement

  7. In twin studies of addiction, what statistic comparing identical and fraternal twins supports a genetic explanation?

    • Higher MZ concordance
    • Zero concordance rate
    • Higher DZ concordance
    • Equal concordance rates

  8. What term describes the biochemical process by which a drug produces its psychological and physiological effects?

    • Mode of action
    • Withdrawal syndrome
    • Tolerance level
    • Physical dependence

  9. Which process describes how repeated drug exposure alters brain neurochemistry, leading to reduced natural endorphin production?

    • Vicarious reinforcement
    • Classical conditioning
    • Neuroadaptation
    • Social learning

  10. Which drug acts as an opioid receptor antagonist to reduce heroin cravings and use?

    • Nicotine
    • Naltrexone
    • Disulfiram
    • Methadone

  11. Which methodological limitation is often raised against purely biological explanations of drug addiction?

    • Lack of reliability
    • Biological reductionism
    • Low validity
    • Ethical bias

  12. Which neurotransmitter's rapid surge in the mesolimbic pathway produces the intense feeling of drug reward?

    • Serotonin
    • Acetylcholine
    • Dopamine
    • GABA

  13. What methodological advantage do animal self-administration studies offer when investigating biological explanations of addiction?

    • High ecological validity
    • Direct neurochemical measurement
    • Qualitative subjective data
    • No ethical considerations

  14. A gene variant associated with lower dopamine receptor density increases addiction risk by altering what mechanism?

    • Reward sensitivity
    • Motor coordination
    • Visual perception
    • Drug metabolism speed

  15. Because alcohol increases inhibitory GABA activity, high consumption primarily results in which short-term physiological outcome?

    • Enhanced cognitive speed
    • Increased heart rate
    • Impaired motor coordination
    • Heightened alertness

  16. What biological phenomenon causes severe physical symptoms when a drug is suddenly discontinued after chronic use?

    • Classical conditioning
    • Physical dependence
    • Psychological craving
    • Operant reinforcement

  17. Which neurotransmitter receptor does nicotine primarily bind to in biological models of addiction?

    • Dopamine transporter
    • Acetylcholine receptor
    • GABA channel
    • Serotonin autoreceptor

  18. Which neurotransmitter release is directly stimulated by nicotine binding to nicotinic receptors?

    • Serotonin
    • GABA
    • Dopamine
    • Glutamate

  19. What type of determinism is illustrated by biological explanations of drug addiction?

    • Reciprocal determinism
    • Psychic determinism
    • Environmental determinism
    • Biological determinism

  20. Which research design is used to investigate genetic heritability in alcohol addiction?

    • Case studies
    • Lab experiments
    • Content analysis
    • Twin studies

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