Chapter 1 Flashcards
Neuroscience
the study of the nervous system
Behavioral Neuroscience
the study of relationships between behavior and the body (particularly the brain)
Behavior
includes not only overt acts but also internal events such as learning, thinking, and emotion
The Mind-Brain Problem
deals with what the mind is and what its relationship to the brain is
Monoism
-believe the mind and body are a single substance
-Aristotle
Material Monoism
body, mind, and everything else are all physical
Idealistic Monoism
Everything is nonphysical
Dualism
-Mind and brain are separate
-Brain= material
-Mind = nonmaterial
- Plato
Model
a proposed mechanism for how something works
Empiricism
knowledge gained though careful and objective observation
Localization
specific areas of the brain carry put specific functions
Equipotentiality
brain functions as undifferentiated module (works as a whole)
Lashley’ Mice
-discovered that memory loss is baed on total brain damage
- the brain works as a whole
Does localization or equipotentiality explain how the brain functions?
Both, functions are distributed and localized. Behavior results from the interaction of many widespread areas of the brain
Genes
the fundamental unit of inheritance
Genes…
-transmit inherited characteristics
-found on chromosomes
Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA)
-double stranded chain of chemical molecules
-contains directions for making proteins
DNA Nucleotides
A-T; G-C - genetic alphabet
Alleles
different versions of a gene
Geneotype
what gene a person has
Phenotype
observable characteristics
Homozygous
alleles that are identical
Heterozygous
alleles that are different
X-linked trait
a characteristic produced by an unpaired gene on the x-chromosome
- ex: colorblindness
Nuture
environmental influences on behavior through parenting, nutrition, learning, etc
Nature
hereditary influences on behavior
Principle of Natural Selection
individuals whose genes provide them with a greater ability to adapt to the environment are more likely to survive and pass on these beneficial genes to more offspring
Heritability
percentage of variation in a characteristic that is attributed to genetics
Vulnerability Model
more genes for a disorder reduces the threshold required to produce it
How is heritability is calculated?
use concordance rates
Which mind-brain view is most likely to be held by a neuroscientist?
Materialistic monoism
What was the major draw back of Descartes’ view of the mind-brain problem?
It was not tested by empirical methods
Why was Descartes’ hydraulic model of brain function an important step in modern understanding of the brain?
this model was a first attempt at providing a physical explanation for behavior
How have cases of people with brain damage contributed to our understanding of the relationship between brain and behavior?
These cases have shown that specific brain areas control some specific behaviors
Which theory was consistent with the idea of localization?
Phrenology
What does the “double helix” refer to?
the twisted ladder-like structure of DNA
What statement below is true of the vulnerability model?
the model shows how nature and nurture interact to produce a characteristic or disorder
Which of the following techniques is used by scientists to determine relative influence of genetics and experience on behavioral traits?
Concordance rates in twin pairs
Which of the following would be a question that a behavioral neuroscientist would investigate?
Which neurotransmitter systems are responsible for the development of drug addiction?
What was the inspiration for Descartes’ model of brain function?
statues in the gardens at St Germain
Who first observed that muscles would respond to electric stimulation?
Luigi Galvani and his frog legs
Who first measured the speed of conduction in the nervous system?
Herman von Helmholtz
-~90 ft/sec
Fritsch and Hitzig
showed that movement could be produced in an animal by providing electrical current to the brain
-used dogs
Phineas Gages’s changes in behavior following brain damage showed that the _____ is involved in planning behavior to fit with social expectations, such as controlling impulsivity or temper.
Frontal lobe
Which of the following is true of sex hormones?
if you have a Y chromosome, it was provided by the make gamete (sperm)
The degree of genetic similarity between identical twins is
100%
