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Kaplan MCAT Quick Sheets > Behavioral Sciences > Flashcards

Behavioral Sciences Flashcards

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MCAT flashcards
1
Q

Neurons in the Nervous system (3 types)

A 
Motor Neurons (efferent)
Interneurons
Sensory Neurons (afferent)
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2
Q

Parasympathetic System

A

Part of the autonomic system

Rest and Digest

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3
Q

Sympathetic nervous system

A

Part of the autonomic system

Fight or flight

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4
Q

“Symptoms” of Parasympathetic nervous system

A 
Constricted pupils
Stimulation of saliva flow
Heartbeat slows
Stimulates peristalsis and secretion
Contracts bladder
Stimulates bile release
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5
Q

“Symptoms” of Sympathetic Nervous System

A 
Dilates pupils
Inhibits salivation
Relaxes bronchi
Accelerates heartbeat
Sweating
Inhibits bladder contraction
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6
Q

Organization of the Brain

A

Hindbrain
Midbrain
Forebrain

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7
Q

Hindbrain

A

Contains cerebellum, cerebrum, medulla oblongata, and reticular formation

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8
Q

Midbrain

A

Contains inferior and superior colliculi

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9
Q

Forebrain

A

Contains thalamus, hypothalamus, basal ganglia, limbic system, and cerebral cortex

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10
Q

Thalamus

A

relay station for sensory info

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11
Q

Hypothalamus

A

Maintains homeostasis

Integrates the endocrine system

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12
Q

Basal Ganglia

A

Smoothens movements and helps maintain postural stability

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13
Q

Limbic System

A

Controls emotion and memory.

Includes septal nuclei, amygdala, hippocampus, and fornix

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14
Q

Septal nuclei

A

Pleasure seeking

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15
Q

Amygdala

A

Fear and aggression

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16
Q

Hippocampus

A

Memory

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17
Q

Fornix

A

Communication with limbic system

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18
Q

Lobes of the Cerebral Cortex

A

Frontal
Temporal
Occipital
Parietal

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19
Q

Frontal

A

Executive function, impulse control, long term planning, motor function, speech production (brocas area)

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20
Q

Parietal

A

Sensation of touch, pressure, temperature, and pain

Spatial processing, orientation, and manipulation

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21
Q

Occipital

A

Visual Processing

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22
Q

Temporal

A

Sound processing
Speech perception (wernickes area)
Memory
Emotion

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23
Q

Influences on Behavior

A 
Acetylcholine
Epinephrine
Norepinephrine
Dopamine
Serotonin
GABA
Glycine
Glutamate
Endorphins
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24
Q

Acetylcholine

A

Voluntary muscle control
Parasympathetic nervous system
Attention
Alertness

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25
Q

Epinephrine &

Norepinephrine

A

Fight or flight responses
Wakefulness
Alertness

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26
Q

Dopamine

A

Smooth movements

Postural stability

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27
Q

Serotonin

A

Mood
Sleep
Eating
Dreaming

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28
Q

GABA, Glycine

A

Brain Stabilization

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29
Q

Glutamate

A

Brain Excitation

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30
Q

Endorphins

A

Natural pain killers

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31
Q

Nature vs. Nurture

A

Debate regarding the contributions of genetics (nature) and environment (nurture) to an individuals traits

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32
Q

Sensation vs. Perception

A

Sensation: Conversion of physical stimuli into neurological signals

Perception: Processing of sensory info to make sense of its significance.

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33
Q

Sensory Receptors

A

Respond to stimuli and trigger electrical signals

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34
Q

Threshold

A

The minimum stimulus that causes a change in signal transduction

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35
Q

Weber’s Law

A

The just noticeable difference for a stimulus is proportional to the magnitude of the stimulus, and the proportion is constant

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36
Q

Response Bias

A

Examined using signal detection

Experiments with 4 possible outcomes: Hits, misses, false alarms, correct negatives

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37
Q

Adaptations

A

A decrease in response to a stimulus overtime

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38
Q

Visual Pathway

A

retina>optic nerve>optic chiasm>optic tracts>lateral geniculate nucleus of thalamus>visual radiations>visual cortex

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39
Q

Parts of the ear

A

Cochlea
Utricle and saccule
Semicircular canals

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40
Q

Cochlea

A

Detects sound

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41
Q

Utricle and Saccule

A

Detect linear acceleration

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42
Q

Semicircular canals

A

Detect rotational acceleration

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43
Q

Auditory Pathways

A

cochlea>vestibulocochlear nerve>medial geniculate nucleus of thalamus> auditory cortex

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44
Q

Bottom up processing

A

Data driven
Recognition of objects by parallel processing and feature detection
Slower but less prone to mistakes

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45
Q

Top down processing

A

Conceptual Driven
Recognition of an object by memories and expectations with little attention to detail
Faster, more prone to mistakes

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46
Q

Gestalt Principles

A

Ways the brain can infer missing parts of an image when it is incomplete

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47
Q

Habituation

A

The process of becoming used to a stimulus

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48
Q

Dishabituation

A

Occurs when a second stimulus intervenes, causing resensitization to the original stimulus

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49
Q

Observational Learning

A

The acquisition of behavior by watching others

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50
Q

Associative Learning

A

Pairing together stimuli and responses, or behaviors and consequences

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51
Q

Positive Reinforcement

A

When a stimulus is added and the behavior continues

52
Q

Negative Reinforcement

A

When a stimulus is removed and the behavior continues

53
Q

Positive Punishment

A

When a stimulus is added and the behavior stops

54
Q

Negative Punishment

A

When a stimulus is removed and the behavior stops

55
Q

Conscious Altering Drugs

A 
Depressants
Stimulants
Opiates/Opioids
Hallucinogens
Marijuana
56
Q

Depressants

A

Sense of relaxation and reduced anxiety

57
Q

Stimulants

A

Increased arousal

58
Q

Opiates/Opioids

A

Decreased reaction to pain; euphoria

59
Q

Hallucinogens

A

Distortions of reality and fantasy; introspection

60
Q

Marijuana

A

Has some features of depressants, stimulants, and hallucinogens (in large doses)

61
Q

Encoding

A

The process of putting new information into memory

62
Q

Piagets Stages of Cognitive Development

A

Sensorimotor Stage
Preoperational stage
Concrete Operational Stage
Formal operational stage

63
Q

Sensorimotor Stage

A

Focuses on manipulating the environment to meet physical needs through circular reactions; object permanence ends this stage

64
Q

Preoperational Stage

A

Focuses on symbolic thinking, egocentrism and centration

65
Q

Egocentrism

A

Inability to imagine what another person thinks or feels

66
Q

Centration

A

Focusing on only one aspect of a phenomenon

67
Q

Concrete operational stage

A

Focusing on understanding the feelings of others and manipulating physical (concrete objects)

68
Q

Formal Operational Stage

A

Focuses on abstract thought and problem solving

69
Q

Selective Attention

A

Allows one to pay attention to a particular stimulus while determining if additional stimuli require attention in the background

70
Q

Divided Attention

A

Uses automatic processing to pay attention to multiple activities at one time

71
Q

Wernicke’s area

A

Language comprehension

72
Q

Broca’s Area

A

Motor function of speech

73
Q

Arcuate Fasciculus

A

Connects Wenicke’s and Broca’s areas

74
Q

Motivation

A

The purpose or driving force behind our actions

75
Q

Extrinsic Motivation

A

Based on external circumstances

76
Q

Intrinsic Motivation

A

Based on internal drive or perception

77
Q

Instinct Motivation theory

A

Innate, fixed patterns of behavior in response to stimuli

78
Q

Arousal Motivation Theory

A

The state of being awake and reactive to stimuli. Aim for an optimal level of arousal for a given task (Yerkes-Dodson law)

79
Q

Drive Reduction Motivation Theory

A

Individuals act to relieve internal states of tension

80
Q

Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs

A

Prioritizes needs into five categories: Physiological needs (highest priority), safety and security, love and belonging, self-esteem, and self-actualization (lowest priority)

81
Q

Seven universal emotions

A 
Happiness
Sadness
Contempt
Surprise
Fear
Disgust
Anger
82
Q

Theories of Emotion (3)

A

James-Lange
Cannon-Bard
Schachter-Singer

83
Q

James-Lange Theory

A

Responses to Stimulus
First Response: Nervous System Arousal
Second Response: Conscious Emotion

84
Q

Cannon-bard

A

Nervous System arousal and conscious emotion

Action

85
Q

Schachter-Singer

A

Nervous system arousal and cognitive appraisal

Conscious Emotion

86
Q

Stress

A

The physiological and cognitive response to challenges or life changes

87
Q

Primary appraisal

A

Classifying a potential stressor as irrelevant, benign-positive or stressful

88
Q

Secondary Appraisal

A

Directed at evaluating whether the organism can cope with the stress based on harm, threat, and challenge

89
Q

Stressor

A

Anything that leads to a stress response

90
Q

Three stages of general adaptation syndrome

A

Alarm
Resistance
Exhaustion

91
Q

Self Concept

A

Sum of ways in which we describe ourselves past present and future

92
Q

Identities

A

Individual components of our self-concept, related to the groups which we belong

93
Q

Self Esteem

A

Our evaluation of ourselves

94
Q

Self efficacy

A

The degree to which we see ourselves as being capable of a given skill in a given situation

95
Q

Locus of Control

A

A self evaluation that refers to the way we characterize the influences in our lives

96
Q

Schizophrenia

A

Psychotic disorder characterized by distortions of reality and disturbances in content and form of thought, perception, and behavior

97
Q

Major Depressive order

A

Contains at least one major depressive episode

98
Q

Persistent depressive order

A

A depressed mood for at least 2 years

99
Q

Seasonal Affective Disorder

A

The colloquial name for major depressive disorder with seasonal onset, with depression occurring during winter months

100
Q

Bipolar 1 disorder

A

Contains at least one manic episode

101
Q

Bipolar 2 disorder

A

Contains at least one hypomanic episode and at least one major depressive episode

102
Q

Cyclothymic Disorder

A

Contains hypomanic episodes with dysthymia

103
Q

Generalized anxiety disorder

A

Constant disproportionate and persistent worry

104
Q

Specific phobias

A

Irrational fears of specific objects

105
Q

Social Anxiety disorder

A

Anxiety due to social or performance situations

106
Q

Agoraphobia

A

Fear of places or situations where it is hard for an individual to escape

107
Q

Panic Disorder

A

Recurrent attacks of intense overwhelming fear and sympathetic nervous system activity with no clear stimulus. Can lead to agoraphobia

108
Q

Dissociative amnesia

A

Inability to recall past experience

109
Q

Dissociative Fugue

A

A sudden change in location that can involve the assumption of new identity

110
Q

Dissociative identity Disorder

A

Two or more personalities that take control of behavior

111
Q

Depersonalization/derealization disorder

A

Feelings of detachment from the mind and body or from the environment

112
Q

Social Facilitation

A

Tendency to perform at a different level of (better or worse) when others are around

113
Q

Deindividualization

A

Loss of self awareness in large groups, can lead to drastic effects in behavior

114
Q

Bystander effect

A

in a group, people are less likely to respond to a person in need

115
Q

Peer pressure

A

Social influence placed on an individual by other individuals they consider

116
Q

Group polarization

A

Tendency towards making decisions in a group that are more extreme than the thoughts of the individual group members

117
Q

Groupthink

A

Tendency to make decisions based on ideas and solutions that arise within the group without considering outside ideas

118
Q

Assimilation

A

One culture begins to melt into another

119
Q

Multiculturalism

A

Encouragement of multiple cultures within a community to enhance diversity

120
Q

Subculture

A

A group that distinguishes itself from the primary culture to which it belongs

121
Q

Socialization

A

The process of developing and spreading norms, customs and beliefs

122
Q

Norms

A

Boundaries of acceptable behavior within society

123
Q

Stigma

A

Extreme disapproval or dislike of a person or group based on perceived differences

124
Q

Deviance

A

Any violation of norms, rules, or expectations within a society

125
Q

Conformity

A

Changing beliefs or behaviors in order to fit into a group or society

126
Q

Compliance

A

Individuals change behavior based on the request of others

127
Q

Obedience

A

Change in behavior based on a command from someone seen as an authority figure

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