PSYC50: Higher-Level Cognition (Winter 2023) Name: ________________________________

University of Toronto, Scarborough ID: ________________________________

Prof. Michael Souza

Sample Questions: Lecture 05 (Inhibition)

Note: these sample items are designed to give you a sense of the question style. They do not necessarily
reflect the exact content or difficulty of the exams. Answers will not be provided over Quercus or email,
but you may use the Quercus discussion board to discuss content with other students. You may also
discuss these questions with Prof. Souza at his office hours.

Multiple-choice

1. Of options A, B, C, and D, which is false regarding inhibitory control (IC)?

a. A stronger P1 amplitude is associated with improved memory in WM tasks

b. Part of a switch cost may be the time necessary to “unload’ a task set from WM
c. Older adults demonstrate a selective deficit in enhancement but not suppression
d. Attentionally speaking, it is more demanding to process a face when it is co-presented with
another stimulus, compared to only a face
e. Options A, B, C, and D are all true, not false

2. Why did Zanto et al. (2011) feel it was necessary to use transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to
evaluate the link between the P1 amplitude and WM performance?

a. TMS allowed them to identify the exact brain region that generated the P1
b. TMS allowed them to examine the precise amplitude of the P1
c. TMS offered a way to demonstrate the occurrence of enhancement but not suppression
d. TMS offered a unique ability to examine whether the relationship link was causal in nature
e. TMS provided a direct opportunity to link this research to response inhibition studies

Short-answer

3. Identify the three components of inhibitory control that collective contribute to the notion of self-
regulation. Give a concrete example of how each works. (9)

4. Given what you know about PFC’s role in inhibition, explain what happens (and why) to activation
in the sensory cortices when someone sustains PFC damage. Link this idea back to cortical tone. (9)

Please note:
- The () after a statement indicates how many points it is worth. The point determination is a function
of item difficulty, not necessarily how many things you need to say.
- Brevity is strongly encouraged. Bullet points are fine – just say what you need to say clearly
- You may lose points if you response is overly wordy and/or hard to follow
- Partial credit may be awarded for some or all questions