Appendix C—Counseling, Neuroscience, and Microskills
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. New neural connections can be developed in interviewing and counseling. This is an interactive
process in which:
a.
counselors impact the client’s brain.
b.
clients impact the counselor’s development.
c.
both counselors and client change in the interviewing process.
d.
the hippocampus is influenced by the knowledge of the counselor.
2. According to Ivey consciousness represents the psychological present/here and now. This is
represented in which of the following lengths of time?
a.
10 to 75 milliseconds
b.
100 to 750 milliseconds
c.
1 to 3 seconds
d.
None of the above
3. Lasting transformation of the brain:
a.
is impossible for older individuals.
b.
takes long-term counseling and therapy.
c.
can occur over a very short time period.
d.
requires careful use of microskills.
4. The brain can develop new connections and even new neurons over time. This process is named:
a.
neurofeedback.
b.
a statement that needs to be questioned.
c.
neurotaxis.
d.
neuroplasticity.
5. Changes in brain structure with clients learning new finger movements showed:
a.
slow change if not structured in a sequential fashion.
b.
rapid change because of sequential teaching.
c.
clear changes in the hippocampus and the right brain.
d.
executive prefrontal cortex, supplementary motor cortex, and primary motor cortex.
6. The microskills step-by-step teaching and learning paradigm is:
a.
not supported by brain research.
b.
is less effective than a holistic approach.
c.
strongly supported by studies on sequential learning and practice effect.
d.
would be more effective if it were more precise and sequential.
7. Exercise is a recommended preventive treatment for:
a.
Alzheimer’s disease.
b.
diabetes.
c.
weight loss.
d.
all of the above.
8. Attention is not just a psychological concept. It is also:
a.
measurable through brain imaging.
b.
measurable through careful observation of clients.
c.
justified by the extensive research on microskills.
d.
a foundation for person-center counseling.
9. Selection attention, a key concept introduced in the microskills framework, is:
a.
less important in key theories of helping such as person-centered and brief counseling.
b.
brought about by the thalamus, which operates like a spotlight, turning to shine on the
stimulus.
c.
brought about by the hippocampus and the energizing amygdala through selective
memory.
d.
the central concept of person-centered and brief counseling.
10. Executive attention is supported by left brain and the anterior cingulated cortex, which:
a.
makes decisions regardless of emotions.
b.
combines with the right brain to consider all issues.
c.
allocates attentional resources.
d.
allocates emotional resources.
11. Practice in meditation:
a.
has recently become important in person-centered counseling as a key strategy.
b.
facilitates neural development.
c.
facilitates emotional growth through taming the amygdala.
d.
is a strategy that should only be used with a very few clients.
12. Memories studied via brain scans reveal:
a.
memories that are false can be identified clearly.
b.
memories that are true can be identified clearly.
c.
no distinction between false and true memories.
d.
false memories activate different parts of the brain than true memories.
13. The above brain information is:
a.
very valuable to the practicing counselor so that challenges to false ideas can be addressed.
b.
an interesting research finding that currently has little practical use for daily practice.
c.
such that it leads interviewers to challenge past research.
d.
such that it leads to proof of past research.
14. Which cultural group has been shown more holistic thinking?
a.
European Americans
b.
South Americans
c.
Southern Europeans
d.
Japanese
15. Blacks and Whites exhibit greater brain activation when they:
a.
see exciting movies.
b.
watch through a one-way mirror and see pain inflicted on another person.
c.
see faces that look like their own.
d.
see faces that look different from their own.
16. Which of the following Energizes the brain and readies it for new information?
a.
Amygdala
b.
Hippocampus
c.
Dopamine
d.
Thalamus
17. Which of the following is the seat of negative emotion?
a.
Amygdala
b.
Hippocampus
c.
Dopamine
d.
Thalamus
18. Which of the following is basic to empathic understanding?
a.
Right brain decision making
b.
Left brain decision making
c.
Frontal lobe neurons
d.
Mirror neurons
19. Which of the following is the primary area for storage of memories?
a.
Amygdala
b.
Hippocampus
c.
Dopamine
d.
Thalamus
20. When a client is depressed, expect less brain activity in the:
a.
frontal cortex.
b.
limbic system.
c.
right brain and amygdala.
d.
hippocampus.
21. Complex emotions are primarily located in the:
a.
prefrontal cortex.
b.
limbic system.
c.
right brain and amygdala.
d.
hippocampus.
22. Making decisions can:
a.
energize the entire brain.
b.
tire the brain.
c.
provide useful practice for developing even more neurons.
d.
best be done with the holistic brain.
23. Too much multitasking can:
a.
release damaging cortisol to the brain.
b.
release damaging dopamine.
c.
support the growth of more complex neural connections.
d.
enable everyone to realize that they are indeed doing too much!
24. Microaggressions are:
a.
small children fighting.
b.
a seemingly small racial or sexist insult.
c.
provide a way for more serious aggression to be prevented.
d.
something we should ignore and teach people how to relax and let us go.
25. A client who has been diagnosed as antisocial will reveal which of the following?
a.
Left brain not very active when they see someone else experience pain
b.
Left brain very active
c.
Right brain not very active
d.
Right brain very active
26. An empathic person who watches a cared partner being shocked in an experiment will:
a.
draw on memories from the hippocampus to deal with the strain.
b.
draw on the amygdala to understand the other.
c.
actually feel his or her partner’s pain through just watching.
d.
have some parallel pain centers activated in his or her brain.
27. Crespi studied teenagers on death row and found:
a.
that their mirror neuron were not working effectively.
b.
that their mirror neurons were hyper and providing too much data to the teen.
c.
that the teens had a long history of not caring for others.
d.
had experienced multiple traumas in their lives.
28. Uncontrollable conflict and discrepancy bring stress to the client resulting in:
a.
active inhibition of neurons and damaging glucocorticoids and cortisol are released.
b.
gradual strengthening of an individual through development of protective neural
structures.
c.
an ultimate challenge to the counselor.
d.
the need to refer the client to the emergency room for medication.
29. Stress is_______________________.
a.
always bad and must be prevented at all costs
b.
challenging, but a strong amygdala and hippocampus can overcome stress
c.
a way to motivate students who are not anxious to learn
d.
in appropriate amounts, necessary for learning
30. The authors state that some authorities believe creativity :
a.
is located in the prefrontal cortex
b.
is the combination of the prefrontal cortex and the hippocampus.
c.
is coordination of the left and right brain as well as the limbic system.
d.
is coordination of the thalamus, hippocampus, frontal cortex, left brain, and the energizing
amygdala.
31. The focusing skill is closely related to:
a.
the hippocampus.
b.
the energizing amygdala.
c.
selective attention.
d.
non-verbal behavior.
32. A number of regions of the ________ are activated attentional task preparation and execution.
a.
prefrontal cortex
b.
right intuitive brain
c.
limbic system
d.
limbic system and the right intuitive brain
33. Reflection of meaning and exploration would likely lead to:
a.
an increased awareness of the importance of meditation.
b.
the development of new neural connections in the brain.
c.
increase in neurons and neural connections in the specific place in the brain where we find
morality and spirituality.
d.
none of the above.
34. Building on wellness and positive emotions, according to Damasio, _______________.
a.
leads us to develop strengths whereby we can deal with stressors more effectively in the
future
b.
is the best way to build a defensive structure in our neural connections
c.
is not enough; we need to add effective counseling and therapy for our clients
d.
is hoping for too much
35. Effective decisions can be reached through:
a.
cognitive processes located primarily in the executive left brain.
b.
a combination of cognitive decisions with emotional satisfaction.
c.
left and right brain coordination.
d.
the hippocampus energized by the amygdala.
36. Dr. Brinkley, demonstrating cognitive-behavioral counseling emphasizes that:
a.
exercise can be a generally beneficial treatment for all clients.
b.
meditation is clearly the best stress reducer.
c.
through concentration, we can improve neural connections.
d.
automatic thoughts can improve emotional satisfaction.
37. Neuropsychology can be defined as:
a.
the study of relations between brain function and behavior.
b.
the study of elasticity of the brain measurable with MRI.
c.
both of these definitions.
d.
neither of these definitions.
38. Which of the following is the center for executive functioning, abstract reasoning, attentional
processes?
a.
Parietal lobe
b.
Frontal lobe
c.
Occipital lobe
d.
Temporal lobe
39. Which of the following is the center for spatial sense and links to motor abilities?
a.
Parietal lobe
b.
Frontal lobe
c.
Occipital lobe
d.
Temporal lobe
40. Which of the following is the center for visual processing?
a.
Parietal lobe
b.
Frontal lobe
c.
Occipital lobe
d.
Temporal lobe
41. Which of the following is the center for auditory processing?
a.
Parietal lobe
b.
Frontal lobe
c.
Occipital lobe
d.
Temporal lobe
42. Which of the following is the center of mainly negative emotions and energizes memory?
a.
Hypothalmus
b.
Amygdala
c.
Pituitary
d.
Hippocampus
43. Which of the following is the memory organ?
a.
Hypothalmus
b.
Amygdala
c.
Pituitary
d.
Hippocampus
44. Which of the following is the switching station for messages in the brain?
a.
Hypothalmus
b.
Amygdala
c.
Pituitary
d.
Hippocampus
45. Which of the following works to regulate hormones in the brain and body?
a.
Hypothalmus
b.
Amygdala
c.
Pituitary
d.
Hippocampus
46. Current neuroscience research demonstrates that:
a.
meditation and exercise prevent the brain from forming long-term memory.
b.
positive thinking reduces brain’s capacity to deal with stress effectively.
c.
abuse, neglect, and deprivation produce long-term damage to children’s brains.
d.
all of the above.
47. Which of the following is a neurotransmitter that produces positive feelings of well being and energy?
a.
Glutamate
b.
GABA
c.
Serotonin
d.
Pituitary hormone
48. The neurotransmitter anandamide is important for us to know when we work with:
a.
depression.
b.
abusing males.
c.
drug and alcohol clients.
d.
stress management.
49. Alzheimer’s clients may be deficit in:
a.
dopamine.
b.
serotonin.
c.
acetylcholine.
d.
GABA.
50. Ivey suggests that the positive asset search, wellness, and search for strengths will increase release of:
a.
dopamine.
b.
serotonin.
c.
acetylcholine.
d.
GABA.
51. Stress management may help the release of appropriate levels of:
a.
dopamine.
b.
serotonin.
c.
acetylcholine.
d.
GABA.
52. Ivey suggests which of the following may be the best therapy to release anandamide and work with
drugs and alcohol?
a.
Decisional counseling
b.
Brief counseling
c.
Cognitive behavioral counseling
d.
Motivational interviewing
53. In terms of the microskill of attending, Ivey suggests:
a.
the reticular activating system and the thalamus are activated.
b.
the limbic system is activated.
c.
the frontal cortex is key.
d.
the orbital frontal cortex is activated.
54. Questions may activate memories stored in the:
a.
amygdala.
b.
hippocampus.
c.
dopamine system.
d.
thalamus.
55. The intensity of emotion is controlled by the:
a.
amygdala.
b.
hippocampus.
c.
dopamine system.
d.
thalamus.
56. Cognitive work around thoughts is most likely to activate the:
a.
frontal cortex.
b.
hippocampus.
c.
right brain.
d.
thalamus.
57. Stress management is like to be important in:
a.
helping clients manage their daily lives.
b.
working with posttraumatic stress.
c.
working with people who face poverty and other issues of social injustice.
d.
all of the above.
58. Neuroplasticity research has shown that:
a.
when volunteers are trained in movement sequences, sequential changes in the activity
patterns of the brain occur as the movements become more automatic.
b.
through selective attention, both the interviewer and client brains react and change,
measurable through brain imaging.
c.
in depression and deep sadness, brain scans reveal that the positive areas of the brain are
less active and vice versa.
d.
all of the above.
TRUE/FALSE
1. The left hemisphere is more associated with positive feelings of joy.
2. The right hemisphere is more associated with negative feelings.
3. Positive thoughts, used effectively in counseling, can override negative feelings.
4. Neuroscience research strongly supports a wellness and positive approach to counseling.
5. There seems to be a part of the brain that identifies spiritual experience, according to Ratey.
6. Ratey points out that we can train our brains for health, vibrancy, and long life.
7. Interviewing, counseling, and therapy can build new brain networks.
8. Ivey in the Appendix focuses on the idea that the brain is holistic.
9. Recent research reveals that sad, mad, glad, and anger can be located in specific parts of the brain.
10. Poverty in childhood poisons the brain.
11. Poverty in childhood provides the opportunity for an individual to prove his or her strength.
12. Positive experiences in pregnancy help the unborn child.
13. Childhood neglect leads to increased damaging dopamine release.
14. Brain research is in opposition to the cognitive, emotional, and behavioral emphasis of interviewing
and counseling.
ESSAY
1. In the Appendix, Ivey argues that we need to understand neurotransmitters and supplies his thoughts
on which theories impact which neurotransmitter. What are your thoughts on the importance of
counseling and therapy thinking about neurotransmitters? Do you believe that effective therapy can
indeed impact the brain at this microlevel?
2. Summarize in your own words the key aspects of neuroscience that might be important to you in your
own practice of interviewing and counseling.
3. How does neuroscience support the ideas of wellness, positive psychology, and the positive asset
search?