Chapter 12

Question 1

activating effects

Answer 1

Effects that increase the activity level or responsiveness of a system or organ.

Example: Caffeine has activating effects on the central nervous system.

Question 2

amygdala

Answer 2

A region of the brain involved in processing emotions, especially fear and aggression.

Question 3

androgens

Answer 3

A group of hormones, including testosterone, that are typically associated with male characteristics.

Question 4

anorexia nervosa

Answer 4

An eating disorder characterized by an abnormally low body weight, intense fear of gaining weight, and a distorted body image.

Question 5

aphagia

Answer 5

The inability or refusal to eat.

Question 6

emotion

Answer 6

A complex psychological state involving a subjective experience, physiological arousal, and behavioral expressions.

Question 7

evolutionary psychology

Answer 7

A theoretical approach that seeks to explain mental and psychological traits as adaptations that have evolved over time.

Question 8

gender identity

Answer 8

An individual’s personal sense of their own gender, which may or may not correspond with the sex assigned at birth.

Question 9

hippocampus

Answer 9

A region of the brain involved in memory formation and spatial navigation.

Question 10

homeostatic mechanism

Answer 10

Processes that regulate the internal environment of the body to maintain a stable, constant condition.

Question 11

hyperphagia

Answer 11

Excessive or extreme hunger, leading to overeating.

Question 12

hypovolemic thirst

Answer 12

Thirst triggered by a decrease in blood volume or pressure.

Question 13

innate releasing mechanism (IRM)

Answer 13

A neural program that triggers a specific behavior in response to a particular stimulus.

Question 14

Klüver–Bucy syndrome

Answer 14

A neurological disorder characterized by changes in behavior, including hypersexuality and oral tendencies, due to damage to the temporal lobes.

Question 15

learned taste aversion

Answer 15

A conditioned response in which an individual avoids a certain food or drink after associating it with negative consequences.

Question 16

medial forebrain bundle (MFB)

Answer 16

A pathway in the brain that is involved in reward and motivation.

Question 17

motivation

Answer 17

The processes that initiate, direct, and sustain goal-directed behavior.

Question 18

nonregulatory behavior

Answer 18

Behaviors that are not directly related to maintaining homeostasis or survival needs.

Question 19

obesity

Answer 19

A medical condition characterized by excess body fat that can have negative effects on health.

Question 20

orbitofrontal cortex (OFC)

Answer 20

A region of the brain involved in decision-making, impulse control, and emotional processing.

Question 21

organizing effects

Answer 21

Long-lasting effects of hormones that occur during critical periods of development and permanently influence behavior and anatomy.

Question 22

osmotic thirst

Answer 22

Thirst triggered by a high concentration of solutes in the blood, leading to cellular dehydration.

Question 23

pheromone

Answer 23

Chemical signals released by an organism to communicate with others of the same species.

Question 24

pituitary gland

Answer 24

An endocrine gland located at the base of the brain that regulates various bodily functions and secretes hormones.

Question 25

preparedness

Answer 25

The idea that humans are biologically predisposed to fear certain stimuli that were threats to our ancestors.

Question 26

psychosurgery

Answer 26

Surgical procedures that target specific areas of the brain to treat mental disorders.

Question 27

regulatory behavior

Answer 27

Behaviors that are necessary to maintain homeostasis and satisfy basic physiological needs.

Question 28

reinforcer

Answer 28

A stimulus that follows a behavior and increases the likelihood of that behavior being repeated.

Question 29

releasing hormone

Answer 29

Hormones produced by the hypothalamus that stimulate the release of other hormones from the pituitary gland.

Question 30

sexual dimorphism

Answer 30

Differences in physical characteristics between males and females of the same species.

Question 31

sexual orientation

Answer 31

An individual’s enduring emotional, romantic, or sexual attraction to others.

Question 32

transgender

Answer 32

An umbrella term for people whose gender identity or expression differs from the sex assigned to them at birth.

Question 33

Pyriform

Answer 33

The function of the piriform cortex is related to sense of smell.

Question 34

Orbital frontal cortex OFC

Answer 34

Involved in cognitive processing and decision making.