Chapter 3: Neuroscience, Multiple Cultural Identities, and Cultural Strengths

Test Bank

Multiple Choice

1. ______ is the brain’s ability to change and adapt as a result of life experiences.

A. Mirror neurons

B. Neurotransmitters

C. Neuroplasticity

D. Development

Learning Objective: 3-1: Identify the roles neurons, neurotransmitters, mirror neurons, and neural pathways have in the brain.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Neuroplasticity

Difficulty Level: Medium

2. What is the mind?

A. another term for the brain

B. emerges from the brain and is shaped by interpersonal relationships

C. emerges from the brain and is influenced by parents/caregivers

D. part of the brain that interprets the cultural context

Learning Objective: 3-1: Identify the roles neurons, neurotransmitters, mirror neurons, and neural pathways have in the brain.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: The Mind

Difficulty Level: Medium

3. If an individual has a negative stereotype toward people who are Muslim and sees a member of this religious group in the community, it may set off a series of neurotransmitter firing in the brain that forms the concept “this individual is suspicious and dangerous.” What is this an example of?

A. neural network

B. concept representation

C. mirror neurons

D. neuroplasticity

Learning Objective: 3-1: Identify the roles neurons, neurotransmitters, mirror neurons, and neural pathways have in the brain.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Neurotransmitter

Difficulty Level: Hard

4. ______ indicates that negative experiences have a greater impact than neutral or positive experiences.

A. Negativity network

B. Negativity bias

C. Negativity outlook

D. Negativity–pessimistic trait theory

Learning Objective: 3-4: Describe the negativity bias and how it affects each person’s responses to his or her life events and to counseling.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: The Negativity Bias of the Brain: Findings in Neuroscience

Difficulty Level: Medium

5. Why is important for counselors to be aware of the negativity bias?

A. Counselors can unintentionally confirm negative evaluations or ask negative questions, leading to more negativity.

B. Counselors can provide more negativity to clients who are overly optimistic.

C. Counselors own negativity may interfere with therapy.

D. Counselors need to identify and address negative, neutral, and positive thoughts and feelings with clients explicitly.

Learning Objective: 3-4: Describe the negativity bias and how it affects each person’s responses to his or her life events and to counseling.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: The Negativity Bias of the Brain: Findings in Neuroscience

Difficulty Level: Medium

6. Which of the following is activated for a therapist when they are engaged in deep listening and close observation of clients’ behaviors?

A. neurons

B. mirror neurons

C. neural networks

D. conceptual representations

Learning Objective: 3-6: Explain the role of new brain networks governed partly by the process of mirror neurons.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Mirror Neurons and Counselors

Difficulty Level: Hard

7. Advantages of therapists using a strength-based approach with clients include all of the following EXCEPT ______.

A. it allows the client to regain self-control and confidence

B. it allows the client to become more peaceful with the self and others

C. it allows the client’s body to relax

D. it allows the therapist’s body to relax

Learning Objective: 3-7: Demonstrate the benefits of counseling that focuses on individuals’ strengths rather than negative qualities or weaknesses.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: What Happens When a Counselor Focuses on a Client’s Negative Life Events?

Difficulty Level: Medium

8. According to research, there is evidence of three cultural dimensions that moderate neural bases of social and emotional behavior. Which of the following is NOT one of the dimensions listed in your textbook?

A. social communication and behaviors

B. racial identification

C. power distance or preference for social hierarchy

D. individualism–collectivism

Learning Objective: 3-2: Discuss how culture impacts the brain and how people may differ in basic ways because of culture’s socialization of the brain.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Some Important Findings in Cultural Neuroscience

Difficulty Level: Hard

True/False

1. The brain changes due to influences from the environment.

Learning Objective: 3-1: Identify the roles neurons, neurotransmitters, mirror neurons, and neural pathways have in the brain.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: The Brain

Difficulty Level: Easy

2. Research has shown that individuals from different cultures have similar brain structures and process information in the same way.

Learning Objective: 3-2: Discuss how culture impacts the brain and how people may differ in basic ways because of culture’s socialization of the brain.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Mapping the Cultural Architecture of the Brain

Difficulty Level: Hard

3. People are genetically predisposed to have a positive instead of negative view of the world.

Learning Objective: 3-4: Describe the negativity bias and how it affects each person’s responses to his or her life events and to counseling.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Is the Brain Hardwired to See the Glass Half Empty or Half Full?

Difficulty Level: Medium

4. The more therapists can mirror the neural activity in their clients’ brain, the more effective they will be in understanding their clients.

Learning Objective: 3-6: Explain the role of new brain networks governed partly by the process of mirror neurons.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Mirror Neurons and Counselors

Difficulty Level: Easy

5. People have only one dominant cultural identity.

Learning Objective: 3-3: Explain how cultural identity formation is a critical biological and social process necessary for each person’s survival and adaptation.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Neuroscience and Multiple Cultural Identities

Difficulty Level: Easy

Short Answer

1. Describe how cultural identity is formed.

Learning Objective: 3-3: Explain how cultural identity formation is a critical biological and social process necessary for each person’s survival and adaptation.

Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Cultural Identity Formation and Neuroscience

Difficulty Level: Hard

2. Provide at least two examples of how the therapeutic relationship produces neurological changes in a client’s brain.

Learning Objective: 3-4: Describe the negativity bias and how it affects each person’s responses to his or her life events and to counseling.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: The Therapeutic Relationship From a Neuroscientific Perspective

Difficulty Level: Medium

3. The DSM-5 calls for a counselor to systematically assess for five categories related to a person’s cultural background when assessing and diagnosing. What are the five categories?

Learning Objective: 3-3: Explain how cultural identity formation is a critical biological and social process necessary for each person’s survival and adaptation.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Cultural Identity and the Cultural Formulation Interview for the DSM-5

Difficulty Level: Hard