chapter 11: emotions, aggression, and stress

Question 1

emotion

Answer 1

a subjective mental state that is usually accompanied by distinctive behaviors as well as involuntary physiological changes

Question 2

sympathetic nervous system

Answer 2

the part of the autonomic nervous system that acts as the “fight or flight” system, generally activating the body for action

Question 3

parasympathetic nervous system

Answer 3

the part of the autonomic nervous system that generally prepares the body to relax and recuperate

Question 4

polygraph

Answer 4

recording of multiple physiological measures to detect lying during an interview

Question 5

facial feedback hypothesis

Answer 5

the idea that sensory feedback from our facial expressions can affect our mood

Question 6

evolutionary psychology

Answer 6

a field of study devoted to asking how natural selection has shaped behavior in humans and other animals

Question 7

brain self-stimulation

Answer 7

the process in which animals will work to provide electrical stimulation to particular brain sites, presumably because the experience is very rewarding

Question 8

medial forebrain bundle

Answer 8

a collection of axons traveling in the midline region of the forebrain

Question 9

nucleus accumbens

Answer 9

a region of the forebrain that receives dopaminergic innervation from the ventral segmental area

Question 10

decorticate rage

Answer 10

sudden intense rage characterized by actions that lack clear direction; also called sham rage

Question 11

limbic system

Answer 11

a loosely defined, widespread group of brain nuclei that innervate each other to form a network; implicated in emotions

Question 12

Klüver-Bucy syndrom

Answer 12

a condition, brought about by bilateral amygdala damage, that is characterized by dramatic emotional changes including reduction in fear and anxiety

Question 13

fear conditioning

Answer 13

a form of classical conditioning in which a previously neutral stimulus is repeatedly paired with an unpleasant stimulus until the previously neutral stimulus alone elicits the responses seen in fear

Question 14

amygdala

Answer 14

a group of nuclei in the medial anterior part of the temporal lobe

Question 15

aggression

Answer 15

behavior that is intended to cause pain or harm to others

Question 16

intermale aggression

Answer 16

aggression between males of the same species

Question 17

testosterone

Answer 17

an androgen, produced by the male gonads, that controls a variety of bodily changes that becomes visible at puberty; linked to aggression

Question 18

serotonin

Answer 18

a synaptic transmitter that is produced in the raphe nuclei and is active in structures throughout the central nervous system; inhibits aggression

Question 19

psychopath

Answer 19

an individual incapable of experiencing remorse

Question 20

stress

Answer 20

any circumstance that disrupts homeostatic balance

Question 21

alarm reaction

Answer 21

the initial response to stress

Question 22

adrenal medulla

Answer 22

the inner core of the adrenal gland

Question 23

epinephrine

Answer 23

a compound that acts both as a hormone (secreted by the adrenal medulla under the control of the sympathetic nervous system) and as a synaptic transmitter; also called adrenaline

Question 24

norepinephrine

Answer 24

a neurotransmitter produced and released by the postganglionic neurons to accelerate organ activity; also called noradrenaline

Question 25

adrenal cortex

Answer 25

the outer rind of the adrenal gland

Question 26

adrenal steroid hormone

Answer 26

a steroid hormone that is secreted by the adrenal cortex

Question 27

cortisol

Answer 27

a glucocorticoid stress hormone of the adrenal cortex

Question 28

adaptation stage

Answer 28

the second stage in the stress response, including successful activation of the appropriate response systems and the reestablishment of homeostatic balance

Question 29

exhaustion stage

Answer 29

a stage in the response to stress that is caused by prolonged or frequently repeated stress and is characterized by increased susceptibility to disease

Question 30

stress immunization

Answer 30

the concept that mild stress early in life makes an individual better able to handle stress later in life

Question 31

epigenetic regulation

Answer 31

changes in gene expression that are due to environmental effects rather than to changes in the nucleotide sequences of the gene

Question 32

psychosomatic medicine

Answer 32

a field of study that emphasizes the role of psychological factors in disease

Question 33

health psychology

Answer 33

a field of study that focuses on psychological influences on health-related processes, such as why people become ill or how they remain healthy; also called behavioral medicine

Question 34

psychoneuroimmunology

Answer 34

the study of the immune system and its interaction with the nervous system and behavior