Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Psychology > Biological Influences > Flashcards

Biological Influences Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
Psychology 101 flashcards GRE® Psychology flashcards AP® Psychology flashcards
1
Q

What is the Nervous System and what does it consist of?

A
  • Complex network of nerves and cells that carry messages to and from the brain and spinal cord to various parts of the body
  • Made up of a billion neurons spread throughout the entire body
  • Consists of the central and peripheral nervous systems - which are interdependent & interrelated
  • Three functions: receiving information, processing information and coordinating a response
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What are the three functions of the Nervous System?

A
  1. Receiving information
  2. Processing information
  3. Coordinating a response
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What does the Central Nervous System consist of?

A

Network of nerves and neurons that make up the brain and spinal cord

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What does the Peripheral Nervous System consist of?

A

Consists of nerves and neurons. Carries information from all parts of the body to the CNS and information from the CNS to the rest of the body. Consists of somatic nervous system and autonomic nervous system

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What is the role of the Somatic Nervous System?

A
  • Apart of the Peripheral Nervous System
  • Enables movement of voluntary skeletal muscles
  • Transmits information from sense receptors to CNS and
    takes impulses from the CNS to the skeletal muscles
  • Contains the sensory (Afferent) nervous system - sensory input and Motor (Efferent) nervous system - motor output
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What is the role of the Autonomic Nervous System?

A
  • Apart of the Peripheral Nervous System
  • Involuntary movements
  • Autonomic and self regulatory
  • It is a network of nerves that carries messages between
    the CNS and involuntary glands and muscles such as the heart
  • Divided into two main systems: Sympathetic and Parasympathetic
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What is the role of the Sympathetic Nervous System?

A
  • Stimulates the “Fight or flight” response which is a physiological reaction that happens in response to a perceived harmful event, attack or threat to survival
  • In this case there is dilation of pupils, increased heartbeat, stimulation of glucose and relaxation of airways
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What is the role of the Parasympathetic Nervous System?

A
  • “Rest and digest”
  • Enables you to maintain normal functions such as digesting and keeping the body at rest
  • There is constriction of pupils, slow heartbeat, constriction of airways and an inhibition of glucose
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What is the role of the Corpus Callosum?

A

The two hemispheres are joined by a thick band of nerve fibres called the corpus callosum, this allows messages to be sent from one hemisphere to the other

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What are the characteristics of the left and right hemispheres?

A

Left - Logical thinking, mathematics, writing, language skills
Right - Creativity, Arts, Drawing, Musical ability

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Describe the fontal lobe

A

Location: Front of the skull
Function: Decision making, reasoning, thinking, speech, personality
Damage: Personality change, decrease involuntary muscle movements
Contains: Primary motor cortex

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Describe the Parietal lobe

A

Location: Top of the skull
Function: Processing sensory information from the body
Damage: Person may become clumsy in movements, they may confuse right and left and could suffer from spatial neglect

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Describe the Temporal lobe

A

Location: Each side of the brain
Function: Responsible for hearing, left - verbal sounds right - non verbal sounds as well as facial recognition
Damage: If damaged a person may be unable to to recognise a familiar face

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Describe the Occipital lobe

A

Location: Back/base of the brain
Function: Receives information from both eyes and the information is processed and interpreted
Damage: Blind spots and visual hallucinations

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Describe the Broca’s area

A

Location: Left side of frontal lobe
Function: Responsible for articular speech (Clear & Fluent)
Damage: Unable to speak clear and fluent, stuttering in speech

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Describe the Wernicke’s area

A

Location: Left side of temporal lobe
Function: Responsible for comprehension of speech
Damage: Person would be unable to understand spoken language (comprehension of speech)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Describe the Primary Motor Cortex

A

Location: Back of the frontal lobe
Function: It receives, processes and sends information about voluntary bodily movement

18
Q

Describe the Somatosensory Motor Cortex

A

Location: Front of the parietal lobe
Function: Receives and processes information from our senses and involuntary bodily movement

19
Q

Describe the Primary Visual Cortex

A

Location: Back of the occipital lobe
Function: Responsible for receiving and processing visual information from the eyes

20
Q

Describe the Primary Auditory Cortex

A

Location: Left side of temporal lobe
Function: It process’ sound along with volume and pitch

21
Q

What are neurons?

A

Neurons are individual nerve cells which receive, process and transmit information to other neurons in the form of neural impulse

22
Q

What are the three types of neurons?

A
  1. Sensory neuron
  2. Inter / connector neuron
  3. Motor neuron
23
Q

What is a Sensory Neuron?

A

Specialised cells that receive information from both the internal and external environment and transmit this information TO the CNS

24
Q

What is an Inter or Connector Neuron?

A

Exist only in the CNS; provide neural links between motor and sensory neurons

25
Q

What is a Motor Neuron?

A
  • Transmit messages from the CNS to the muscles, glands and organs; found primarily in PNS
  • Are effectors travel along Efferent route
26
Q

What is a Neurotransmitter?

A

Special chemicals released from the axon which diffuse across a synapse in the form of a chemical message and attach to the receptor dendrite on the post synaptic neuron e.g. Dopamine

27
Q

What is a Neuromodulator?

A

A chemical substance which influences (modulates) the activity of the neurotransmitters

28
Q

What is the role of Dopamine?

A
  • Helps control the brain’s reward and pleasure centres, also involved in learning, movement and emotional responses
29
Q

What is the role of Serotonin?

A
  • Responsible for maintaining mood balance, a deficit of serotonin leads to depression
  • Also involved in sleep and mood and can affect social behaviour, appetite, digestion and function
30
Q

What is the role of Noradrenaline?

A

A neurotransmitter released in response to stress, stimulates fight or flight response

31
Q

What is an Action Potential?

A

The change in electrical potential associated with the passage of an impulse along the membrane of a muscle cell or nerve cell

32
Q

Define a Psychoactive Drug?

A

A chemical substance that acts primarily upon the central nervous system, it alters brain function, resulting in temporary changes in perception, mood, consciousness and behaviour

33
Q

How is Information Transmitted across a Synapse?

A
  1. When an action potential reaches the synaptic knob, there is an opening of calcium gated channels in which sodium rushes in
  2. Vesicles containing neurotransmitters fuse with the membrane and is released (in the presynaptic neuron by exocytosis into the synaptic cleft)
  3. Neurotransmitters diffuse across the synaptic cleft (gap) in the form of a chemical message
  4. Neurotransmitters bind to the receptor dendrites on the post synaptic neuron
34
Q

What is a Hormone?

A

A chemical messenger produced by endocrine glands which influence mood, affect growth and travel through the bloodstream

35
Q

What is the role of Adrenaline and Noradrenaline?

A
  • Produced by the Adrenal Glands
  • Helps prepare individuals to deal with emergency life threatening situations and triggers the “Fight or Flight” response
  • Released in response to stress
  • Work in conjunction with the Sympathetic Nervous System to speed up bodily processes when in danger e.g. increased heart rate, pupil dilation
  • Adrenaline is heightened during excerise
  • Noradrenaline is the main stimulant of the “flight or fight” response
36
Q

What is Hereditary?

A
  • Hereditary is the passing of genes between a parent and an offspring
  • Behaviour is strongly influenced by our genetic make up and our genetic inheritance, thus patterns of behaviour can be inherited
  • A gene is a segment of DNA or RNA transmitted from one generation to the next and is the basic units of hereditary
37
Q

What does Nature vs Nurture refer to?

A
  • Although genes provide the recipe for development, the environment affects the outcome. Hereditary sets limits but the environment ultimately determines how things turn out within these limits
  • Behaviour is influenced by Nature and Nurture
  • Nature: refers to being influenced by genetic inheritance and biological factors
  • Nurture: refers to the influence of external factors after conception, environmental factors (exposure, experience, learning)
38
Q

What are the three categories of Psychoactive Drugs?

A
  1. Depressants
  2. Stimulates
  3. Hallucinogens
39
Q

What is a Depressant?

A
  • A drug which calms the activity of the nervous system and slow down bodily functions
  • Physiological Effects include: reduced activity in the CNS, decreased heart rate, slower breathing rate, reduced coordination
  • Psychological Effects include: Feeling calmer and less stressed, relief of anxiety
    e. g. Alcohol, Cannabis, Heroin
40
Q

What is a Stimulant?

A
  • A drug which excites the nervous system and arouses bodily functions
  • Physiological Effects include: Speed up of activity in the CNS, increased heart rate, rapid breathing
  • Psychological Effects include: increased feelings of excitement, higher energy levels, increased confidence, elevated mood
    e. g. caffeine, nicotine, amphetamines
41
Q

What is a Hallucinogen?

A
  • A drug which alters/changes one’s perception an give them sensory images without input from the senses
  • Physiological Effects include: Increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, increased body temperature, blurred vision, seizes, dilated pupils
  • Psychological Effects include: Disrupted cognition, altered perceptions, distorted sense of time, hallucinations, mood swings, difficulty concentrating
    e. g. LSD, Magic Mushroom, Ecstasy

Psychology (9 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions