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MCAT > Behavioral Science > Flashcards

Behavioral Science Flashcards

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MCAT flashcards
1
Q

Sensory Neurons

A

AKA afferent neurons

transmit sensory information to the brain

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2
Q

Motor Neurons

A

AKA efferent neurons

transmit motor information from the brain to the muscles and glands

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3
Q

Interneurons

A

most numerous
located predominantly in the brain and spinal cord

linked to reflexive behaviors (reflex arcs)

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4
Q

Central Nervous System (CNS)

A

Brain and Spinal Cord

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5
Q

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

A

Somatic and Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)

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6
Q

Somatic Nervous System (PNS)

A

afferent (sensory) and efferent (motor) neurons

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7
Q

Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)

A

Sympathetic and Parasympathetic

part of the PNS

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8
Q

Neurotransmitter responsible for parasympathetic responses in the body?

A

Acetylcholine

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9
Q

Limbic System

A

group of neural structures associated with emotion and memory
forebrain

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10
Q

Medulla Oblongata function

A

regulates vital functions such as breathing, heart rate, and digestion

hindbrain // brainstem

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11
Q

Pons function

A

lies above the medulla

contains sensory and motor pathways between the cortex and the medulla

hindbrain // brainstem

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12
Q

Cerebellum function

A

maintains posture and balance and coordinated body movements (inhibited by alcohol)

hindbrain // brainstem

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13
Q

Midbrain function

A

receives sensory and motor information
associated with involuntary reflex responses

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14
Q

Thalamus function

A

important relay station for sensory information (NOT SMELL)

FOREBRAIN

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15
Q

Hypothalamus function

A

HOMEOSTATIC AND EMOTIONS

The 4 F’s:
Feeding
Fighting
Flighting
(Sexual) Functioning

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16
Q

Lateral Hypothalmus

A

“Lacks Hunger”

hunger center

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17
Q

Ventromedial Hypothalamus (VMH)

A

“Very Much Hungry”

satiety center

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18
Q

Anterior Hypothalamus

A

sexual behavior

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19
Q

Posterior Pituitary

A

site of release for antidiuretic hormone (ADH AKA vasopressin) and oxytocin

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20
Q

Pineal Gland

A

releases melatonin

the rhythm gland (circadian)

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21
Q

Basal Ganglia function

A

coordinates muscle movement and relay information to the brain

destroyed/damaged in Parkinson’s disease

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22
Q

Amygdala

A

LIMBIC SYSTEM

defensive and aggressive behaviors

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23
Q

Amygdala

A

LIMBIC SYSTEM

defensive and aggressive behaviors

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24
Q

Hippocampus

A

LIMBIC SYSTEM

learning and memory

helps consolidate information to form long-term memories

communicates with other portions of the limbic system via the FORNIX

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25
Q

Brain lobes and function

A

Frontal – executive function
Parietal – touch, temp, and pain
Temporal – hearing
Occipital – vision

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26
Q

Broca’s area

A

FRONTAL LOBE

vitally important for speech production

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27
Q

Wernicke’s area

A

TEMPORAL LOBE

associated with language reception and comprehension

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28
Q

Neurotransmitter

A

chemical used by neurons to send signals to other neurons

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29
Q

Catecholamines

A

Epinephrine, Norepinephrine, and Dopamine

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30
Q

Neurotransmitter responsible for sympathetic responses?

A

Norepinephrine

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31
Q

Neurulation

A

ECTODERM overlying the notochord begins to furrow, forming a NEURAL GROOVE surrounded by two neural folds (3-4 weeks gestation)

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32
Q

Neural Crest

A

cells at the leading edge of the neural fold in neurulation

MIGRATE to other sites in the body to become different tissues

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33
Q

Neural Tube

A

neural furrow that eventually forms the CNS

BRAIN AND SPINAL CORD

34
Q

Family Study

A

looks at relative frequency of a trait in a family compared to population

assumption that genetically related individuals are more similar genotypically than unrelated

study the inheritability of a trait

LIMITATION: cannot distinguish environmental factors from genetic ones (all family in same environment)

35
Q

Photoreceptors

A

respond to electromagnetic waves in the visible spectrum (sight)

36
Q

Mechanoreceptors

A

respond to pressure or movement

37
Q

Nociceptors

A

respond to painful or noxious stimuli

38
Q

Thermoreceptors

A

respond to changes in temperature

39
Q

Osmoreceptors

A

respond to osmolarity of the blood

40
Q

Olfactory receptors

A

respond to volatile compounds (smell)

41
Q

Taste receptors

A

respond to dissolved compounds (taste)

42
Q

Threshold (physiologic element of perception)

A

the minimum amount of stimulus that renders a difference in perception (i.e. sends an action potential)

43
Q

Absolute Threshold

A

minimum of stimulus energy that is needed to activate a sensory system

44
Q

Difference Threshold

A

“just-noticeable difference”

minimum change in magnitude to perceive that two different stimuli are, in fact, different

45
Q

Weber’s Law of Perception

A

observation that difference thresholds are proportional and must be computed as percentages

i.e. a 1-100 Hz change is noticeable but a 1000-1010 isn’t (instead a 100% increase is…NOT a 100 Hz increase)

46
Q

Parallel Processing

A

brain’s ability to analyze information regarding color, form, motion, and depth simultaneously

47
Q

Two-point threshold of somatosensory perception

A

the minimum distance necessary between two points stimulation on the skin such that the points will be perceived as two distinct stimuli

48
Q

Gate theory of pain

A

special “gating” mechanism can turn pain signals on or off

why rubbing an injury seems to reduce the pain

49
Q

Bottom-Up Processing

A

data-driven processing

object recognition by parallel processing and feature detection

individual sensory stimuli combined to make cohesive image

50
Q

Top-Down Processing

A

conceptually driven processing

driven by memories and expectations that allow the brain to recognize the whole object and then recognize components based on these expectations

51
Q

Gestalt Principles

A

set of general rules that account for the fact that the brain tends to view incomplete stimuli in organized, patterned ways

52
Q

Law of Proximity (Gestalt)

A

elements close to one another tend to be perceived as a unit

53
Q

Law of Similarity (Gestalt)

A

objects that are similar tend to be grouped together

54
Q

Law of Good Continuation (Gestalt)

A

elements that appear to follow in the same pathway tend to be grouped together

55
Q

Subjective Contours (Gestalt)

A

perceiving contours and, therefore, shapes that are not actually present in the stimulus

56
Q

Law of Closure (Gestalt)

A

when a space is enclosed by a contour, the space tends to be perceived as a complete figure

57
Q

Pinna

A

technical term for the outer ear

funnels the sound to the inner ear

58
Q

Malleus

A

AKA the hammer

part of the middle ear

one end attached to the ear drum and the other the anvil

59
Q

Cochlea

A

contains the receptors for hearing

60
Q

The _________ is responsible for balance and motor coordination.

A

HINDBRAIN

61
Q

Experiments of Pierre Fluorens

A

Removed (ablated) certain parts of the brain to show that specific parts of the brain served different purposes.

Remove a lobe and observe the animals behavior. Determine the function of the part removed.

62
Q

Function of the right hemisphere (nondominant hemisphere) of the brain?

A

creativity (art and imagination) and spatial awareness in 3D space (sense of direction)

63
Q

Result of low levels of endorphins?

A

Higher pain

64
Q

Results of varying levels of serotonin?

A

Mood swings and mood instability

65
Q

Result of high levels of dopamine?

A

Hallucinations

66
Q

Result of low levels of acetylcholine?

A

Muscle weakness and paralysis

67
Q

Studies of William James

A

foundation of FUNCTIONALISM

studied how the mind adapts to the environment

68
Q

Babinski Reflex

A

primitive reflex found in INFANTS by fanning of the toes when rub bottom of foot

disappears with age

69
Q

Wernicke’s Aphasia

A

involves impaired comprehension but fluent production of speech

region of brain where somatosensory cortex of parietal lobe overlaps with auditory cortex of the temporal lobe

70
Q

Which study design has a HIGH degree of internal validity?

A

Randomized Control Trial

internal validity (cause –> effect)
– effects not explained by other factors

assign participants randomly to treatment or control

71
Q

Stage 2 Sleep

A

NREM

THETA WAVES that induce sleep spindles and K complexes

72
Q

Stage 3-4 Sleep

A

NREM

slow brain waves called DELTA WAVES

environmental stimuli no longer produce reactions

73
Q

REM Sleep

A

EEG resembles waking brain activity, including BETA WAVES (similar to alpha waves)

74
Q

Reaction Formation

A

psychological defense mechanism in which a person goes beyond denial and behaves in the OPPOSITE way to which they think and feel

i.e. you hate an employee, but treat them with excessive kindness

75
Q

Dominant culture, subculture, and counter-culture definition.

A

Dominant - learned values, beliefs, and behaviors held by the majority
Subculture - values and norms do NOT oppose the dominant culture, but group is characteristically different
Counter-culture - values and norms OPPOSE the dominant culture

76
Q

Symbolic Interactionism

A

meaning and value attached to symbols
individual interactions based on these symbols

MICRO-SOCIOLOGY

COOLEY and MEAD

77
Q

Secularization

A

reduced power of religion as religious involvement declines

78
Q

Religiosity

A

the EXTENT to which a religion is internalized and incorporated into an individuals life

79
Q

Power vs authority?

A

Power = ability to control and influence others
Authority = whether others believe power to be legitimate

80
Q

Reliability vs validity in a study?

A

Reliability - produces similar results when repeated (REPEATABILITY)
Validity - the overall ACCURACY of the study (TRUE RESULTS)

81
Q

Role strain vs role conflict?

A

Role Strain - competing expectations within a SINGLE ROLE
Role Conflict - competing expectations for TWO or MORE ROLES

82
Q

Cognitive-behavioral therapy vs psychoanalytical therapy vs humanistic therapy?

A

CBT - change negative thoughts and maladaptive behaviors
Psychoanalytical - uncover how unconscious conflicts rooted in childhood shape behaviors
Humanistic Therapy - attempts to empower individuals to move toward self-actualization

MCAT (6 decks)

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