GCSEPsychologyAQAExam QuestionsBrain & NeuropsychologyStructure & Function of the Nervous System

Structure & Function of the Nervous System (AQA GCSE Psychology): Exam Questions

Exam code: 8182

56 mins13 questions

4 marks

Read the following conversation.

Arun: Today, we learned that the central nervous system is made up of the brain and spinal cord. Did you know that even though the brain is only 2% of the total body mass, it uses 20% of the oxygen that we breathe in?

Dad: I didn’t know that. What else did you learn?

Arun: We learnt that damage to the central nervous system can cause lots of different problems including difficulty concentrating and making decisions. Other signs of damage would be numbness and difficulties in moving the arms or legs.

Dad: It sounds like the central nervous system has some very important functions.

Briefly outline the basic functions of the central division of the human nervous system.

Refer to the conversation to support your answer.

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3 marks

Look at the diagram of the divisions of the human nervous system in Figure 2 and answer the question that follows.

Figure 2

Flow diagram of the human nervous system: it branches to A and B; A branches to the brain and spinal cord, while B branches to C and D, and C branches to the sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions.

In Figure 2, four divisions of the human nervous system are labelled with the letters A, B, C and D.

Identify each of the divisions by placing the correct letter in the appropriate box in Table 2.

Use each letter only once.

Table 2

Name of the division of the human nervous system	Letter given in Figure 2
The autonomic nervous system
The central nervous system
The peripheral nervous system
The somatic nervous system

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13a

2 marks

Read the following information.

Researchers wanted to understand more about how the fight or flight response affects heart rates. They asked 10 participants to wear heart monitors and to go on a roller coaster ride. The researchers recorded the beats per minute (bpm) of the participants’ heart rates at three different times. The first time was 20 minutes before the ride, the second time was halfway through the ride and the last time was just as the ride finished. The results from all three times are shown in Table 1.

Table 1: bpm recorded at each point of the roller coaster ride.

Participant	Before the ride	Halfway through the ride	As the ride finished
1	80	125	100
2	70	140	115
3	90	135	110
4	70	115	95
5	80	135	100
6	70	145	100
7	70	140	105
8	60	130	110
9	90	150	125
10	80	135	105

Calculate the mean for the participants’ bpm recordings taken 20 minutes before the ride. Show your workings.

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13b

1 mark

What is the median for the participants’ bpm recordings taken when they were halfway through the ride?

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13c

1 mark

Identify the mode for the participants’ bpm recordings taken when the ride had just finished.

Choose your answer

13d

4 marks

Look at the changes in the heart rates recorded in Table 1. Use your knowledge of the fight or flight response to explain these changes.

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A	The theory can be disproved by the real-life examples of phobias and panic disorders.
B	The theory does not suggest physiological changes are experienced at the same time as emotions.
C	The theory is based on results of laboratory experiments carried out by James Lange himself.
D	The theory suggests that our interpretation of physiological changes causes the emotions we experience.
E	The theory suggests we can experience emotion without any physiological changes.

Participant	Before the ride	Halfway through the ride	As the ride finished
1	80	125	100
2	70	140	115
3	90	135	110
4	70	115	95
5	80	135	100
6	70	145	100
7	70	140	105
8	60	130	110
9	90	150	125
10	80	135	105

Participant	Before the ride	Halfway through the ride	As the ride finished
1	80	125	100
2	70	140	115
3	90	135	110
4	70	115	95
5	80	135	100
6	70	145	100
7	70	140	105
8	60	130	110
9	90	150	125
10	80	135	105

Participant	Before the ride	Halfway through the ride	As the ride finished
1	80	125	100
2	70	140	115
3	90	135	110
4	70	115	95
5	80	135	100
6	70	145	100
7	70	140	105
8	60	130	110
9	90	150	125
10	80	135	105