1. Introduction to Biological Psychology

Question 1

What is the nervous system made up of?

Answer 1

The central nervous system (CNS)

The peripheral nervous system (PNS)

Question 2

What 2 systems is the peripheral nervous system (PNS) made up of?

Answer 2

The somatic system

The autonomic system

Question 3

What is the central nervous system (CNS) made up of?

Answer 3

Brain

Spinal cord

Question 4

What are neurons?

Answer 4

Basic building blocks of the brain

Question 5

What 3 things do neurons do?

Answer 5

Born
Migrate
Differentiate

Question 6

What parts make up a neuron?

Answer 6

Cell body
Dendrites
Nucleus
Axon
Myelin sheath
Axon terminals

Question 7

What is Hebb’s rule (1949)?

Answer 7

Neurons in the brain that are simultaneously or successively active become associated.

Question 8

What is resting potential?

Answer 8

The difference in electric charge between the inside and outside of a (neural) cell membrane.

Question 9

What is action potential?

Answer 9

When a stimulus reaches a resting neuron, the neuron transmits the signal as an impulse. This is called action potential.

Question 10

What is synaptic transmission?

Answer 10

The passage of an electrical impluse from one neuron to another via neurotransmitters.

Question 11

Where is the occipital lobe located in the brain?

Answer 11

At the back

Question 12

Where is Broca’s Area located in the brain?

Answer 12

At the front

Question 13

What are the functions associated with the frontal lobe?

Answer 13

Problem-solving
Social functioning
Deployment of attention
Goal-directed behaviour
Self-regulation

Question 14

Case study used to identify behaviours associated with frontal lobe

Answer 14

Phineas Gage

Question 15

Case study: Phineas Gage

Answer 15

Railroad engineer who places detonate explosives along developing railroads
Accidentally placed the tampering iron on the explosive
An iron bar penetrated the right-hand side of his skull, passing through the left-hand side of his frontal lobe and exiting through the right frontal bone
No longer reliable/considerate
Experienced poor judgments and deficient social skills

Question 16

Frontal lobe evidence: Eslinger and Damasio (1985)

Answer 16

Patient with frontal lobe lesion

Despite IQ = 130, poor at decision making, twice divorced since lesion, unable to hold down a job

Question 17

Frontal lobe evidence: Schindler et al. (1995)

Answer 17

Patients with frontal lobe damage demonstrate personality changes
Memory & perceptual skills remain in tact
But decision making is poor

Question 18

Case study: Alexander Laing

Answer 18

Experienced frontal lobe damage following a skiing accident in 2006
His memory, language and perceptual skills remain intact
BUT his ability to read others’ emotions and lack of insight were impaired
He is sexually obsessed and will frequently walk around naked and aroused

Question 19

Where is Wernicke’s Area in the brain?

Answer 19

In the temporal lobe in the left-hand side of the brain

Question 20

Where is the hippocampus in the brain?

Answer 20

In the temporal lobe

Question 21

Amnesia is associated with damage to the…

Answer 21

hippocampus

Question 22

The hippocampus is associated with the formation of what kind of memories?

Answer 22

Autobiographical memories - new memories about experienced events

Question 23

What does damage to the hippocampus cause?

Answer 23

Anterograde amnesia - prevention of formation of new memories
Occasionally retrograde amnesia