Behavioral Sciences Flashcards by Auriela Howze

What is Functionalism

How mental processes help individuals adapt to their environments

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Describe what afferent vs. efferent neurons do

Afferent: Ascends in the cord toward the brain
Efferent: Exit the cord on the way to rest of body

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Describe what sensory neurons do and another name for them

transmit sensory info from receptors to spinal cord and brain
Afferent neurons

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What do motor neurons do and another name for them

Transmit motor info from the brain and spinal cord to muscles and glands
Efferent neurons

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What are interneurons most often linked to

Reflexive behavior

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How is the nervous system divided

2 parts
Central Nervous system (CNS)
Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

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Describe the central nervous system

Made up of brain and spinal cord

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Describe the PNS

Made up of nerve tissue and fibers outside the brain
Somatic and autonomic systems
Autonomic breaks down to Sympathetic nervous system and parasympathetic nervous system

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Describe the somatic nervous system

Consists of sensory and motor neurons distributed thru skin, joints, and muscles

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Describe the autonomic nervous system

Regulates heartbeat, respirations, digestion, and glandular secretions.
Involuntary muscle processes

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Describe the parasympathetic nervous system

Conserve energy
Rest and digest
Reduce heart rate and constrict pupils
Stimulate saliva
Contracts bladder
Acetylcholine (neurotransmitter) responsible for this

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Describe the sympathetic nervous system

Fight or Flight
Activated by stress
Increase heart rate
Dilate eyes
Releases epinephrine
Decreases digestion

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What are the 3 basic parts of the brain

Hindbrain
Midbrain
forebrain

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What forms the brainstem

Hindbrain and midbrian

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What forms the limbic system

Forebrain

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What is the primary role of the limbic system

Emotion and memory

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What are the primary structures of the forebrain

Cerebral cortex
Basal ganglia
Limbic system
Thalamus
Hypothalamus

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What are the primary structures of the midbrain

inferior and superior colliculi

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What are the primary structures of the hindbrain

Cerebellum
Medulla Oblongata
Reticular formation
Pons

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What is the role of the cerebral cortex

Complex perceptual, cognitive, and behavioral processes

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What is the role of the basal ganglia

Movement

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What is the role of the thalamus

Sensory relay station

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What is the role of the hypothalamus

Hunger, thirst, emotion

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What is the role of the inferior and superior colliculi

Sensorimotor reflexes

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What is the role of the cerebellum

Refined motor movements | Posture and balance

What is the role of the medulla oblongata

Heart, vital reflexes (vomiting, coughing)

What is the role of the reticular formation

Arousal and alertness

What is the role of the pons

Communication WITHIN the brain, breathing

What is the role of the amygdala

Defensive and aggressive behaviors

What is the role of the hippocampus

Learning and memory processes | helps to form long term memories

What are the 4 lobes of the brain

Temporal: hearing Occipital: sight Parietal: Touch, temp, pain Frontal lobe: executive function

Wernickes area

Associated with language reception and comprehension

Brocas area

Speech production

What behavior is the neurotransmitter acetylcholine responsible for

Voluntary muscle control, parasympathetic nervous system, attention, alertness

What behavior is epinephrine and norepinephrine responsible for

flight or flight response, wakefulness, alertness

What behavior is dopamine responsible for

Smooth movements, postural stability

What behavior is serotonin responsible for

Mood, sleep, eating, dreaming

What behavior is GABA and Glycine responsible for

Brain stabilization

What behavior is glutamate responsible for

Brain excitation

What behavior are endorphins responsible for

Natural painkillers

Motivation

The purpose or driving force behind our actions

Describe Drive reduction theory

Motivation based on the goal of eliminating uncomfortable states

Describe arousal theory

People perform actions in order to maintain an optimal level of arousal

What are considered primary needs

Physiological needs the basics food, water, sleep, shelter

what are maslows hierarchy of needs (base to tip)

1. Physiological 2. Safety 3. Love/belonging 4. Esteem 5. Self actualization

Describe self actualization

the need to realize ones fullest potential

describe esteem as it relates to maslow

self esteem, confidence, achievement, respect of others

describe love/belonging as it relates to maslow

friendship, family, sexual intimacy

describe safety as it relates to maslow

security of body, employment, resources, health, morality

What is incentive theory

behavior that is motivated by a desire of reward and avoidance of punishment

What are the 7 universal emotions

1. happiness 2. sadness 3. contempt 4. surprise 5. fear 6. disgust 7. anger

What is the James Lange Theory of Emotion

Physiological arousal first followed by secondary response in which emotion is labeled ex. I must be angry because my skin is hot and my blood pressure is high

What is the Cannon Bard theory

physiological arousal and feeling an emotion occur at the same time and then the action follows ex. I see a snake, so I feel afraid and my heart is racing … Let me out of here!

What is the Schachter Singer theory

two factors are needed to experience emotion. Includes environmental stimulus ex. I am excited because my heart is racing and everyone else is happy.

What is spontaneous recovery

Presenting a subject with an extinct conditioned stimulus will sometimes produce a weak conditioned response

What is generalization

A stimulus similar to the conditioned stimulus can also produce the conditioned response

Describe discrimination

Learning to distinguish between similar stimuli

What is operant conditioning

Examines how consequences of voluntary behaviors change the frequency of those behaviors

What is the theory of behaviorism

Theory that all behaviors are conditioned

What is escape learning

An unpleasant stimulus is experienced, a behavior is displayed in order to remove the stimulus

What is avoidance learning

A behavior is displayed in order to avoid the unpleasant stimulus before it occurs

What is a fixed ration schedule

Reinforce a behavior after a specific number of performances of this behavior

What is variable ratio

Reinforce behavior after a variable number of performances of the behavior

What is a fixed interval schedule

Reinforce the first instance of behavior after a specific period of time has elapsed

What is a variable interval schedule

reinforce the behavior the first time the behavior is performed after a varying interval of time

Describe the method of loci

Associating each item in a list with a location along a route through a building that has already been memorized

what is iconic memory

Fast decaying memory of visual stimuli

what is semantic memory

Ideas, concepts, and facts that we know

What is retrograde amnesia

Loss of previously formed memories

What is anterograde amnesia

Inability to form new memories

What is the difference between explicit and implicit memory

Explicit: facts and stories Implicit: Skills and conditioning effects