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AP Psychology > 2 The Biological Basis of Behavior > Flashcards

2 The Biological Basis of Behavior Flashcards

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1
Q

Psychobiology

A

The area of psychology that focuses on the biological foundations of behavior and mental processes

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2
Q

Neuroscience

A

The study of the brain and the nervous system

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3
Q

Neurons

A

Individual cells that are the smallest units of the nervous system

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4
Q

Dendrites

A

short fibers that branch out from from the cell body and pick up incoming messages

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5
Q

Axon

A

single long fiber extending from the cell body; it carries outgoing messages

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6
Q

Nerve (or tract)

A

Group of axons bundled together

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7
Q

Myelin sheath

A

white fatty covering found on some axons

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8
Q

Sensory (afferent) neurons

A

neurons that carry messages from sense organs to the spinal cord or brain

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9
Q

Motor (efferent) neurons

A

Neurons that carry messages from the spinal cord or brain to the muscles and glands

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10
Q

Interneurons (association neurons)

A

neurons that carry messages from, one neuron to another

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11
Q

Glial cells (glia)

A

cells that form the myelin sheath; they insulate and support neurons by holding them together, removing waste products, and preventing harmful substances from passing from the bloodstream into the brain

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12
Q

Ions

A

electrically charged particles found both inside and outside the neuron

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13
Q

Resting potential

A

electrical charge across a neuron membrane due to excess positive ions concentrated on the outside and excess negative ions concentrated on the inside

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14
Q

Polarization

A

The condition of a neuron when the inside is negatively charged relative to the outside; for example, when neuron is at rest

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15
Q

Neural impulse (action potential)

A

the firing of a nerve cell

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16
Q

Graded potential

A

a shift in the electrical charge in a tiny area of a neuron

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17
Q

Threshold of excitation

A

the level an impulse must exceed to cause a neuron to fire

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18
Q

All-or-none law

A

Principle that the action potential in a neuron does not vary in strength; the neuron either fires at full strength or it does not fire at all

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19
Q

Absolute refractory period

A

a period after firing when a neuron will not fire again no matter how strong the incoming messages may be

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20
Q

Relative refractory period

A

a period after firing when a neuron is returning to its normal polarized state and will fire again only if the incoming message is much stronger than usual

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21
Q

Synaptic space (synaptic cleft)

A

tiny gap between the axon terminal of one neuron and the dendrites or cell body of the next neuron

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22
Q

Terminal button (synaptic knob)

A

structure at the end of an axon terminal branch

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23
Q

Synapse

A

area composed of the axon terminal of one neuron, the synaptic space, and the dendrite or cell body of the next neuron

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24
Q

Synaptic vessicles

A

tiny sacs in a terminal button that release chemicals into the synapse

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25
Q

Neurotransmitters

A

chemicals released by the synaptic vesicles that travel across the synaptic space and affect adjacent neurons

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26
Q

Receptor site

A

a location on a receptor neuron into which a specific neurotransmitter fits like a key into a lock

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27
Q

Acetylcholine

A

released at neurotransmitter junction, plays an important role in arousal and attention, loss of ACh producing cells linked to Alzheimer’s disease

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28
Q

Dopamine

A

affects neurons associated with voluntary movement, plays role in learning, memory, and emotion, loss of dopamine producing cells causes symptoms of Parkinson’s disease

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29
Q

Serotonin

A

found throughout brain, appears to set “emotional tone,” low serotonin levels are implicated in depression

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30
Q

Endorphins

A

reduce pain by inhibiting neurons that transmit pain information

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31
Q

Glutamate

A

involved in long term memory and perception of pain

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32
Q

GABA (Gamma aminobutyric acid)

A

inhibitory neurotransmitter distributed in central nervous system, implicated in sleep and eating disorders, low levels of GABA linked to extreme anxiety

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33
Q

Glycene

A

principally responsible for inhibition in the spinal cord and lower brain centers

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34
Q

Neural plasticity

A

the ability of the brain to change in response to experience

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35
Q

Neurogenesis

A

the growth of new neurons

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36
Q

Central nervous system

A

Division of the nervous system that consists of the brain and spinal cord

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37
Q

Peripheral nervous system

A

Division of the nervous system that connects that central nervous system to the rest of the body

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38
Q

Hindbrain

A

Area containing the medulla, pons, and cerebellum

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39
Q

Cerebellum

A

Structure in the hindbrain that controls certain reflexes and coordinates the body’s movements

40
Q

Midbrain

A

Region between the hindbrain and the forebrain; it is important for hearing and sight, and it is one of several places in the brain where pain is registered

41
Q

Thalamus

A

Forebrain region that relays and translate incoming messages from the sense receptors, except those for smell

42
Q

Hypothalamus

A

Forebrain region that governs motivation and emotional responses

43
Q

Reticular formation (RF)

A

Network of neurons in the hindbrain, the midbrain, and part of the forebrain whose primary function is to alert and arouse the higher parts of the brain

44
Q

Limbic system

A

Ring of structures that play a role in learning and emotional behavior. Includes Hippocampus and amygdala

45
Q

Cerebral cortex

A

The outer surface of the two cerebral hemispheres that regulates most complex behavior

46
Q

Association areas

A

Areas of the cerebral cortex where incoming messages from the separate senses are combined into meaningful impressions and outgoing messages from the motor areas are integrated

47
Q

Occipital lobe

A

Part of the cerebral hemisphere that receives and interprets visual information

48
Q

Temporal lobe

A

cerebral hemisphere. Regulates: smell, hearing, balance, equilibrium, emotion and motivation, some language comprehension, complex visual processing

49
Q

Parietal lobe

A

Part of the cerebral cortex that receives sensory information from throughout the body, association areas, visual/spatial abilities

50
Q

Primary somatosensory cortex

A

Area of the parietal lobe where messages from the sense receptors are registered

51
Q

Frontal lobe

A

Part of the cerebral cortex that is responsible for: goal-directed behavior, concentration, emotional control and temperament, motor projection and association areas, coordinates messages from other lobes, complex problem solving, involved in many aspects of personality

52
Q

Primary motor cortex

A

The section of the frontal lobe responsible for voluntary movement

53
Q

Corpus callosum

A

A thick band of nerve fibers connecting the left and right cerebral cortex

54
Q

Spinal cord

A

Complex cable of neurons that runs down the spine, connecting the brain to most of the rest of the body

55
Q

Somatic nervous system

A

The part of the peripheral nervous system that carries messages from the senses to the central nervous system and between the central nervous system and the skeletal muscles

56
Q

Autonomic nervous system

A

The part of the peripheral nervous system that carries

57
Q

Noroepinephrine

A

affects arousal, wakefulness, learning, memory, and mood

58
Q

Pons

A

hindbrain, regulates sleep-wake cycle

59
Q

Medulla

A

hindbrain, regulates respiration, heart rate, blood pressure

60
Q

Hippocampus

A

formation of new memories

61
Q

Aamygdala

A

Governs emotions related to self-preservation

62
Q

Microelctrode techniques

A

used to study functions of single neurons

63
Q

Macroelectrode techniques

A

used to obtain overall picture of activity in particular brain region

64
Q

Broca’s area

A

involved in speech production. Damage affects ability to talk, but understanding spoken or written language hardly affected

65
Q

Wernicke’s area

A

involved in understanding of spoken or written language. Damage affects comprehension of languages but speech is hardly affected

66
Q

Structural imaging list

A

CAT, MRI

67
Q

Functional imaging list

A

EEG, MEG, MSI, PET, SPECT, fMRI

68
Q

sympathetic division

A

branch of the autonomic nervous system; prepares body for quick action in emergency

69
Q

Parasympathetic division

A

branch of the autonomic nervous system; calms and relaxes body

70
Q

Endocrine glands

A

glands of the endocrine system that release hormones into the bloodstream

71
Q

Hormones

A

chemical substances released by the endocrine glands that regulate bodily activities

72
Q

Thyroid gland

A

endocrine gland located below voice box; produces hormone thyroxin

73
Q

Parathyroids

A

four tiny glands embedded in the thyroid; secrete parathormone

74
Q

Pineal gland

A

gland located roughly in center of brain that appears to regulate activity levels over the course of the day

75
Q

Pancreas

A

organ lying between stomach and small intestine; secretes insulin and glucagon to regulate blood-sugar levels

76
Q

Gonads

A

reproductive glands, testes in males and ovaries in females

77
Q

Pituitary glands

A

gland located on underside of brain, produces largest number of body’s hormones

78
Q

Adrenal glands

A

2 endocrine glands located just about the kidneys

79
Q

Behavior genetics

A

study of the relationship between heredity and behavior

80
Q

Evolutionary psychology

A

A subfield of psychology concerned with the origins of behaviors and mental processes, their adaptive value, and the purposes they continue to serve

81
Q

Genetics

A

study of how traits are transmitted from one generation to the next

82
Q

Genes

A

Elements that control the transmission of traits; they are found on the chromosomes

83
Q

Chromosomes

A

pairs of threadlike bodies within the cell nucleus that contain the genes

84
Q

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)

A

complex molecule in a double helix configuration is the main ingredient of chromosomes and genes and forms the code for all genetic information

85
Q

Human genome

A

full complement of genes withing a human cell

86
Q

Dominant gene

A

member of a gene pair that controls the appearance of a certain trait

87
Q

recessive gene

A

member of a gene pair that can control the appearance of a certain trait only if it is paired with another recessive gene

88
Q

Polygenic inheritance

A

process by which several genes interact to produce a certain trait; responsible for our most important traits

89
Q

Strain studies

A

studies of the heritability of behavioral traits using animals that have been inbred to produce strains that are genetically similar to one another

90
Q

Selection studies

A

studies that estimate the heritability of a trait by breeding animals with other animals that have the same trait

91
Q

Family studies

A

studies of heritability in humans based on the assumption that if genes influence a certain trait, close relatives should be more similar on that trait than distant relatives

92
Q

Twin studies

A

studies of identical and fraternal twins to determine the relative influence of heredity and environment on human behavior

93
Q

Identical twins

A

twins developed from a single fertilized ovum and therefore identical in genetic makeup at the time of conception

94
Q

Fraternal twins

A

twins developed from two separate fertilized ova and therefore different in genetic makeup

95
Q

Adoption studies

A

research carried out on children, adopted at birth by parents no related to them, to determine the relative influence of heredity and environment on human behavior

96
Q

Natural selection

A

mechanism proposed by Darwin in theory of evolution, states that organisms best adapted to their environment tend to survive, transmitting their genetic characteristics to succeeding generations, whereas organisms with less adaptive characteristics tend to vanish

AP Psychology (9 decks)

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