Behavioral Sciences Ch 1: Biology & Behavior

Question 1

Franz Gall developed the Doctrine of Phrenology. What does this idea state?

Answer 1

If a particular trait was well-developed, then the part of the brain responsible for that trait would expand

Later shown to be false

Question 2

Pierre Flourens’s work lead to what assertion? How did he come to this conclusion?

Answer 2

Specific parts of the brain had specific functions

He ablated various parts of the brain in rabbits and pigeons

Question 3

William James, known as the father of American psychology, studied what?

Answer 3

How the mind adapts to the environment (functionalism)

Question 4

John Dewey believed that the study of psychology should focus on what?

Answer 4

The organism as a whole as it functioned to adapt to the environment

Question 5

Paul Broca was the first person to demonstrate what?

Answer 5

Specific functional impairments could be linked with specific brain lesions; leading to the discovery of Broca’s area

Question 6

Hermann von Helmholtz was the first person to measure what? What else is he often credited with?

Answer 6

Measured speed of nerve impulses and reaction time

Also credited with the transition of psychology out of the realm of philosophy and into the realm of quantifiable natural science

Question 7

Sir Charles Sherrington first inferred the existence of what? What did he get wrong about this assumption?

Answer 7

First inferred the existence of synapses

He thought that synaptic transmission was an electrical process, but we know now that it is primarily chemical

Question 8

What is the function of the medulla oblongata? Is it part of the hindbrain, midbrain, or forebrain

Answer 8

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

Part of the hindbrain

Question 9

What is the function of the pons? Is it part of the hindbrain, midbrain, or forebrain?

Answer 9

Breathing and communication within the brain (between the cerebellum and the rest of the brain)

Part of the hindbrain

Question 10

What is the function of the cerebellum? Is it part of the hindbrain, midbrain, or forebrain?

Answer 10

Maintains posture and balance as well as coordination of body movements

Part of the hindbrain

Question 11

What is the function of the superior colliculus? Is it part of the hindbrain, midbrain, or forebrain?

Answer 11

Initiate reflexes from visual input

Part of the midbrain

Question 12

What is the function of the inferior colliculus? Is it part of the hindbrain, midbrain, or forebrain?

Answer 12

Initiate reflexes from auditory input

Part of the midbrain

Question 13

What are the components of the telencephalon? Are they part of the hindbrain, midbrain, or forebrain?

Answer 13

Cerebral cortex, basal ganglia, and limbic system

Part of the forebrain

Question 14

What are the components of the diencephalon? Are they part of the hindbrain, midbrain, or forebrain?

Answer 14

Thalamus, hypothalamus, posterior pituitary, and pineal gland (epithalamus)

Part of the forebrain

Question 15

What is the function of the putamen?

Answer 15

Part of the basal ganglia

Connects to and provides pathways of communication for many structures in the brain, and generally influences and regulates motor behaviors such as planning, learning, preparation, and execution of motor sequences

Question 16

What is the function of the thalamus?

Answer 16

Sensory relay station for all senses except for smell

Question 17

What are the functions of the hypothalamus?

Answer 17

*The four F’s*

Feeding

Fighting

Flighting

Functioning (sexually 😉)

Question 18

What is the function of the lateral hypothalamus (LH)?

Answer 18

Hunger center; has special receptors thought to detect when the body needs more foods or fluids

*When the Lateral Hypothalamus is destroyed, one Lacks Hunger*

Question 19

What is the function of the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH)?

Answer 19

Satiety center; provides signals to stop eating

When the VentroMedial Hypothalamus is destroyed, one is Very Much Hungry

Question 20

What is the function of the anterior hypothalamus?

Answer 20

Controls sexual behavior

Regulates sleep and body temperature

Question 21

What is the function of the basal ganglia?

Answer 21

Fine coordination of muscle movement as they receive information from the cortex and relay this information to the brain and spinal cord, via the extrapyramidal motor system

Question 22

What are the primary components of the limbic system?

Answer 22

Septal nuclei

Amygdala

Hippocampus

Anterior cingulate cortex

Question 23

What is the function of the septal nuclei?

Answer 23

Primary pleasure center of the brain; associated with addictive behavior

Question 24

What is the function of the amygdala? What happens if this area is lesioned?

Answer 24

Regulates defensive and aggressive behaviors, including fear and rage

Lesions can result in docility and hypersexual states

Question 25

What is the function of the hippocampus?

Answer 25

Responsible for consolidation of information to form long-term memories, as well as redistribution of remote memories to the cerebral cortex

Question 26

What is the function of the anterior cingulate cortex?

Answer 26

Functions in higher-order cognitive processes, such as impulse control and decision-making, as well as emotion and motivation

Question 27

What is the difference between an association area and projection area?

Answer 27

Association areas integrate input from diverse regions of the brain

Projection areas perform rudimentary perceptual and motor tasks (ex: primary motor cortex)

Question 28

What is the function of acetylcholine in the peripheral, central, and sympathetic nervous systems?

Answer 28

PNS: transmit nerve impulses to muscles to initiate contractions

CNS: attention and arousal

SNS: innervation of sweat glands

Question 29

Epinephrine, norepinephrine, and dopamine fall under what class of molecules? What is the significance of these types of molecules?

Answer 29

Catecholamines

Critical for experience of emotions

Question 30

What is the function of epinephrine and norepinephrine? What is the major difference between the two?

Answer 30

Involved in controlling alertness and wakefulness; promote fight-or-flight response

Norepinephrine acts locally and epinephrine acts systemically

Question 31

What is the function of dopamine? Where are the highest concentrations of it found?

Answer 31

Important role in movement and posture

Highest concentration in basal ganglia

Question 32

Describe the dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia.

Answer 32

Argues that delusions, hallucinations, and agitation associated with schizophrenia arise from either too much dopamine or from an oversensitivity to dopamine in the brain

Question 33

The loss of dopaminergic neurons in the basal ganglia is associated with what disease?

Answer 33

Parkinson’s disease

Question 34

What is the function of serotonin?

Answer 34

Regulation of mood, eating, sleeping, and dreaming

Question 35

What are high and low levels of norepinephrine associated with?

Answer 35

High levels: anxiety and mania

Low levels: depression

Question 36

What is the function of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)? How does it perform this function?

Answer 36

Produces inhibitory postsynaptic potentials; stabilizing neural activity by hyperpolarizing the postsynaptic membrane

Question 37

What is the function of glycine (as a neurotransmitter)? How does it perform this function?

Answer 37

Inhibitory neurotransmitter of the central nervous system; increases chloride influx into the neuron, hyperpolarizing the postsynaptic membrane

Question 38

What is the function of glutamate (as a neurotransmitter)?

Answer 38

Primary excitatory neurotransmitter of the central nervous system