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Biological Aspects of Psychology Flashcards

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1
Q

The psychological specialty focused on the physical and chemical changes that cause, and occur in response to, behavior and mental processes.

A

Biological Psychology

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2
Q

A complex combination of cells whose primary function is to allow an organism to gain information about what is going on inside and outside the body and respond appropriately.

A

Nervous System

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3
Q

The nervous system’s three main functions are to recieve information (__________), integrate that information with past experiences, (__________), and guide actions (__________).

A

Input, Processing, Output

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4
Q

Fundamental units of the nervous system.

A

Neurons (or nerve cells)

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5
Q

Cells in the nervous system that hold neurons together and help them communicate with one another.

A

Glia Cells

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6
Q

Two major types of cells, __________ and __________, allow the nervous system to carry out its complex signaling tasks efficiently.

A

Neurons (or nerve cells), and Glia Cells

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7
Q

Every cell has a body that (with the exception of red blood cells) contains a core called the __________.

A

Nucleus

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8
Q

Tiiny “engines” that help the cell generate and use energy

A

Mitochondria

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9
Q

Fibers tat carry signals from the body of a neuron out to where communication occurs with other neurons.

A

Axons

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10
Q

Neuron fibers that receive signals from the axons of other neurons and carry those signals to the cell body.

A

Dendrites

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11
Q

An abrupt wave of electrochemical changes traveling down an axon when a neuron becomes depolarized.

A

Action Potential

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12
Q

A short rest period between action potentials.

A

Refractory Period

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13
Q

A fatty substance that wraps around some axons like a stocking and speeds up action potentials.

A

Myelin

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14
Q

Chemicals that assist in the transfer of signals from one neuron to another.

A

Neurotransmitters

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15
Q

Little “bags” that neurotransmitters are stored in.

A

Vesicles

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16
Q

The gap that is typically less than one millionth of an inch wide that separates the acon on one neuron and the dendrites of another.

A

Synaptic Gap (or Synapse)

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17
Q

Sites on the surface of a cell that allow only one type of neurotransmitter to fit into them, triggering a chemical response that may lead to an action potential.

A

Receptors

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18
Q

Neurons that operate together to perform compex functions.

A

Neural network

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19
Q

The part of the nervous system encased in bone; specifically, the brain and the spinal cord.

A

Central Nervous System (CNS)

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20
Q

The parts of the nervouse system not housed in bone.

A

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

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21
Q

The subsystem of the peripheral nervous system that transmits information from the senses to the CNS and carries signals from the central nervous system to the muscles.

A

Somatic Nervous System (SNS)

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22
Q

Cells in the nervous system that provide information to the brain about the environment

A

Sensory Neurons

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23
Q

Cells in the nervous system that the brain uses to influence muscles and other ograns to respond to the environment in some way.

A

Motor Neurons

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24
Q

A subsystem of the perifpheral nervous system that carries messages between the central nervous system and the heart, lungs, and other organs and glands.

A

Autonomic Nervous System

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25
Q

The subsystem of the autonomic nervous system that readies the body for vigorous activity.

A

Sympatheic Nervous System

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26
Q

The subsystem of the autonomic nervous system that typically influences activity related to the protection, nourishment, and growth of the body.

A

Parasympathetic Nervous System

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27
Q

The part of the central nervous system within the spinal column that relays signals from peripheral senses to the brain and conveys messages from the brain to the rest of the body.

A

Spinal Cord

28
Q

Involuntary, unlearened feedback systems creating swift, automatic, and movements in response to external stimuli.

A

Reflexes

29
Q

Deep groves that subdivide the cerebral hemisphere.

A

Fissures

30
Q

An extension of the spinal cord contained inside the skull where nuclei control blood pressure, heart rate, breathing, and other vital functions.

A

Hindbrain (or Rhombencephalon)

31
Q

The three prominate divisions of the brain are called primary brain vesicles and they are named the __________, __________, and the __________.

A

Hindbrain (or Rhombencephalon), Midbrain (or Mesencephalon), and Forebrain (or Prosencephalon)

32
Q

An area in the hindbrain that controls blood pressure, heart rate, breathing, and other vital functions.

A

Medulla Oblongata

33
Q

A network of cells and fibers threaded throughout the hindbrain and midbrain that gives alertness and arousal to the rest of the brain.

A

Reticular Formation

34
Q

A small nucleus in the reticular formation that is involved in directing attention.

A

Locus Coeruleus

35
Q

The part of the hindbrain whose main functions include controlling finely coordinated movements and sotring memories about movement but which may also be involved in impulse control,emotion, and language.

A

Cerebellum

36
Q

A small structure between the hindbrain and the forebrain that relays information from the eyes, ears, and skin and that controls certain types of automatic behaviors.

A

Midbrain (or Mesencephalon)

37
Q

Together, the midbrain and parts of the hindbrain other than the cerebellum are called the __________.

A

Brainstem

38
Q

The most highly developed part of the brain; it is responsible for the most complex aspects of behavior and mental life.

A

Forebrain (or Prosencephalon)

39
Q

A forebrain structure that relays signals from most sense organs to higher levels in the brain and plays an important role in processing and making sense out of this information.

A

Thalamus

40
Q

A structure in the forebrain that regulates hunger, thirst, and sex drive.

A

Hypothalamus

41
Q

An extensive area of neural cortex covering the surfaces of the cerebral hemispheres.

A

Cerebral cortex

42
Q

The part of the hypothalamus that controls the “brains’s own clock” is the __________ Nuclei

A

Suprachiasmatic

43
Q

A structure in the forebrain that, among other things, associates features of stimuli involved in memory and emotion.

A

Amygdala

44
Q

A structure in the forebrain associated with the foremation of new memories.

A

Hippocampus

45
Q

The amygdala, hippocampus, and some portions of the cerebral cortx are part of a group of brain structures called the __________ system.

A

Limbic

46
Q

The outter surface of the brain.

A

Cerebral Cortex

47
Q

A massive bundle of axons that connects the right and left cerebral hemispheres and allows them to communicate with each other.

A

Corpus Callosum

48
Q

The parts of the cerebral cortex that receive stimulus information from the senses.

A

Sensory Cortex

49
Q

The four anatomical areas of the cerebral cortex.

A

Frontal lobe (front), Perietal lobe (top), Temporal lobe (side), Occipital lobe (back)

50
Q

Deep grooves that subdivide the cerebral hemisphere.

A

Fissures

51
Q

Folds in the cerebral hemispheres that increase its surface area.

A

Gyri

52
Q

Shallow depressions in the cerebral hemisphere that separete adjacent gyri

A

Sulci

53
Q

Occipital lobe nerve cells.

A

Visual Cortex

54
Q

Temporal lobe nerve cells.

A

Auditory Cortex

55
Q

The part of the cerebral cortex whose neurons control voluntary movements in specific parts of the body.

A

Motor Cortex

56
Q

The parts of the cerebral cortex that receive information from more than one sense or that combine sensory and motor information to perform complex cognitive tasks.

A

Association Cortex

57
Q

The ability to create new synapses and to change the strength of synapses.

A

Neural Plasticty

58
Q

The tendency for one cerebral hemisphere to excel at a particular function or skill compared with the other hemisphere.

A

Lateralization (Lateral Dominance)

59
Q

The process of creating new neurons.

A

Neurogenesis

60
Q

A group of neurons that communicate using the same neurotransmitter.

A

Neurotransmitter System

61
Q

Three classes of neurotransmitters

A

Small Molecules, Peptides, and Gases

62
Q

The most important of the small -molecule chemicals that act as neurotransmitters are __________, __________, __________, __________, __________, __________.

A

Acetylcholine, Norephinephrine, Serotonin, Dopamine, GABA, and Glutamate.

63
Q

Cells that form organs called glands and that communicate with one another by secreting chemicals called hormones.

A

Endocrine System

64
Q

Organs that secrete hormones in to the bloodstream.

A

Glands

65
Q

Chemicals secreted by a gland into the bloodstream, which carries them throughout the body.

A

Hormones

Advanced General Psychology (20 decks)

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